Heritage > British Castles

Blarney Castle

Blarney castle, which lies about four miles to the north-east of Cork City, is one of the most famous buildings in Ireland. This is chiefly due to the stone embedded in the upper walls which is said to give the power of eloquence to those who kiss it. It is not known how this belief began, but it may have grown from the antics of the Chief of Muskerry in Queen Elizabeth's time, Cormac MacDermot MacCarthy, whose silvery tongued excuses enabled him to stay on terms with both sides without definitely committing himself to either. This caused the Queen to describe his talk as `All Blarney'.

The building of the castle is attributed to Cormac L‡idir (the Strong) MacCarthy in 1446. The MacCarthys like many Munster families of Gaelic origin, claim descent from Owen son of the legendary King of Munster Olioll Olum. Their family name derived from Carthach, whose grandson Dermot was King of Cork at the time of the Welsh/Norman invasion in 1177. Cormac L‡idir was a great builder, possibly the first of the family to recognise that the family needed to have strong permanent bases if the continuing advance of the Norman families was to be held, and if the lands being regained by the MacCarthys were to be theirs on a permanent basis. As well as Blarney Castle, he built the castle and friary at Kilcrea.

Cormac was murdered in Carrignamuck Castle by his brother Owen and the latter's sons in 1494 and is buried in Kilcrea abbey in the place normally reserved for the founder of such an establishment - close to the high altar, and, in this case in the north-east corner.

The present ruin is in two parts - a slender peel tower (16ft by 14ft) which is the earliest part and a much larger mass (60ft by 36ft, 5 storeys; 66 - 85 ft in height) which was then attached to it around the end of the 15th century. The peel tower contains what became known as the `Earl's bedroom', the winding stairwell, and a kitchen; the `stone' is in the new, or larger part. The battlements, with enormous corbel stones, seem to be of an even later date - possibly the late 16th or early 17th century. The castle walls range in thickness from 12ft at the base to 8ft at the third storey.

There are two caves in the foundation rock - one natural and the other, partly at least, artificial. This latter was used as a dungeon and still retains a massive iron door. Inside remain some of the bolts and massive iron rings. A small window gives light and overall one feels that it would not have been pleasant to have been a prisoner of the MacCarthys.

The castle is set just south of where the Martin joins the Blarney river, and therefore immediately south of the village. It is in pleasant pastoral countryside, and the view from the top of the castle of a rich and fertile undulating countryside, knotted with beautiful trees is rewarding in itself: even if you do not have the courage to kiss the stone.

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