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Blarney Castle, built by the McCarthy family in the 15th century, is a popular tourist attraction in County Cork, Ireland. Its most famous feature is the Blarney Stone, which is said to grant eloquence to those who kiss it. The castle has changed owners several times and is now owned by the descendants of the Jefferyes family. Visitors can climb to the top of the keep to kiss the stone, which requires leaning over the edge of the castle.
Blarney Castle is a 15th-century fortification located in County Cork, Ireland. It was built by a local ruling family named McCarthy and changed owners several times during its first three centuries of existence. Blarney Castle’s most famous feature is the Blarney Stone, a slab of rock located in one of the castle’s battlements which is said to grant those who kiss it the gift of eloquent speech. In the early 15th century, Blarney Castle is one of Ireland’s most visited tourist attractions.
Located in the city of Blarney, Blarney Castle is five miles away from Ireland’s main city of Cork. The castle was built in 1446 by the McCarthy clan, who then served as rulers of Munster, the province in which Blarney is located. It was seized for the English on two separate occasions in the 17th century but in each case reverted to Irish hands. In the early 18th century it was bought by the Jefferyes family and at the end of the 17th it is still owned by the descendants of these buyers.
The main structure of Blarney Castle comprises a rectangular tower, or keep, made of gray stone and approximately 90 meters high. Without a doubt, the castle’s most famous attribute is the Blarney Stone, a block of stone built into the top of one of the keep walls. Tradition holds that kissing the Blarney Stone enhances one’s ability to disarm others through speech. Some historians believe this tradition can be traced back to Queen Elizabeth, who became frustrated when her emissary was repeatedly foiled in his attempts to negotiate control of the castle. According to these historians, Elizabeth considered her representative’s rambling reports of these failed negotiations “blarnery.”
While the Blarney Castle grounds feature additional attractions, such as an elaborate 19th-century house and extensive gardens, it’s the Blarney Stone that draws most tourists to the site. After paying an admission fee, visitors can climb to the top of the keep to kiss the infamous rock section. Because of the placement of the stone, you must lean back over the edge of the keep to plant your kiss. While those with a serious fear of heights may want to avoid kissing the stone, the experience is relatively safe thanks to handrails and castle clerks who restrain any visitor as they stoop over the keep.
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