Set in idyllic Irish countryside, Blarney Castle is home to the famous Blarney Stone. Situated high in the battlements of the castle, the stone is thought to be half of the Stone of Scone, an ancient Scottish stone believed to have special powers. Those that kiss the stone are said to inherit the gift of eloquent speech. The castle itself began life as a 10th-century hunting lodge and was rebuilt in stone in 1210, only to be demolished and reconstructed in its original form by Dermot McCarthy, King of Munster, in 1446. Today, much of it lies in ruins.

Blarney Castle, Blarney, County Cork, Ireland
Tel: (021) 438 5252
Website: www.blarneycastle.ie

Air: Cork Airport. Rail: Train: Cork Station. Road: Bus: Regular bus services to Blarney (from Cork Station). Car: N20 (from Cork).

Bord Fáilte Eireann (Irish Tourist Board)
Baggot Street Bridge, Dublin 2, Ireland
Tel: (01) 602 4000. Fax: (01) 602 4100. E-mail: info@irishtouristboard.ie
Website: www.ireland.travel.ie
Irish Tourist Board
150 New Bond Street, London W1S 2AQ, UK
Tel: (020) 7518 0800 or (0800) 039 7000 (travel enquiries). Fax: (020) 7493 9065.
E-mail: info@irishtouristboard.co.uk
Website: www.irelandtravel.co.uk

Ireland