Blarney House

The Blarney estate, near the town of that name in County Cork, is renowned for its castle, an unusually large and well preserved tower-house of 1446 which incorporates the famous Blarney Stone, set into the masonry high up beneath the battlements.  In former times visitors were lowered over the parapet to kiss ‘The Stone’ while gripped firmly by the ankles but the process has become far easier and safer today. In return they are rewarded with ‘the gift of eloquence’ which has made Blarney a renowned and popular tourist destination since the days of Queen Victoria.