help

We are trying to decide whether or not to include Blarney Castle in our itinerary. We will only be in Ireland for 6 nights, and want to focus on the SW. I had initially thought we would drive from Shannon to Cork via Blarney, and then head over the Ring of Kerry and Dingle. Now I am thinking of forgetting Blarney/Cork and trying to throw in a visit to Galway. Thanks for any thoughts!

steve

If you are in the area, it is a must. It is a nicely situated castle with nice grounds. THe castle is just a shell. It is an inteeresting walk up 3 flights of a sprial staircase to the top. If you want to kiss the stone, you need to lie down on your back as the assistant helps you to bend back to kiss the stone. I didn't do the kissing, but liked seeing the castle.<BR><BR>However, it is quite a trip from Shannon over to Cork. I think you will have plenty of time, but spending more time in the SW is also a good idea

Edmond O`Flaherty

Michelin Guide describes Blarney Castle as "Worth a Detour" or 2 stars.It gives "Worth a Journey" or 3 stars to the following sites in the Republic:Killarney National Park,Dun Aenghus (on the Aran Islands"),Connemara,Cashel,Glendalough,<BR>Dublin, Clonmacnoise,Russborough House, the Cliffs of Moher and Newgrange.<BR>If you are in Cork though you should go to see it.It is mostly a Tower House dating from 1446.In the 16th century Queen Elizabeth of England commanded the Earl of Leicester to take the castle from the McCarthy clan.The Earl failed and sent back so many progress reports that irritated the Queen that she referred to them all as "Blarney".<BR>Many items of interest to tourists are available in the nearby Blarney Woolen Mills.<BR>

snorkelman

Keep in mind the following. Tourists bend over backwards and kiss the Blarney stone, but the locals get drunk and piss on that stone at night!

blarney

snorkelman, Tell me how a drunk Irishman can climb over a huge locked gate, break into a locked building, go up hundreds of teeny tiny spiral stairs in the dark (that a non-drunk person would be tripping over in the daylight), locate the stone by starlight and aim straight enough to do the deed? Gottcha! You have fallen vicitm to an Irish urban legend! Frankly it's just too much trouble when there's a loo just around the corner in the nice warm pub.

gail

I would pick Galway over Blarney Castle, and certainly not go there just to kiss the stone (you really do hang upside down over a long drop, your safety reliant on some guy who makes his money on tips - I skipped kissing the stone since the bus tours ahead of us seemed populated by less-than-generous types - what if the guy was in a bad mood?) If you go, I spent my time there walking around the beautiful grounds instead. Galway is beautiful.

xxx

Gail, that's not entirely true- there are rusty iron bars to keep you from falling to your death. Snorkelman, nice try, but that's just not possible.