For hundreds of years now, visitors from all over the world have come to Blarney Castle & Gardens located near Cork, Ireland, to kiss the Blarney Stone. Legend says that kissing this stone battlement endows the kisser with the gift of the gab. After doing so, they’ll never again be lost for words.
That legend is just part of the reason that millions of people have made the trip to the castle over the centuries. Blarney Castle & Gardens features numerous attractions and activities besides the famous monument, all of which have contributed to the impact it has enabled for the economy and culture of the region.
Where History Meets Legend
Blarney Castle is a medieval fortress located near Cork, Ireland, and is the third structure to have been erected on the site. The first building in the tenth century was a wooden structure that was replaced by a stone structure around 1210. In 1446 the third castle was built, and the keep of this structure remains intact. The Blarney Stone is a block of limestone built into one of the battlements of this castle keep.
The history of the Blarney Stone, also known as the Stone of Eloquence, has been combined with legend over the centuries, which is part of the reason the origins of the stone are uncertain at best. One legend says it was the rock that Moses struck with his staff to produce water for the Israelites during their exodus from Egypt. A more popular legend says that the stone was originally Jacob’s Pillow and that the prophet Jeremiah had brought it to Ireland. According to this legend, the stone then became the Lia Fail or ‘Fatal Stone’ and was used as an oracular throne of the Irish kings.
Other legends associate the stone with the Coronation Stone of Scottish monarchs, the Crusades and the Stone of Destiny, which held prophetic power of royal succession. However, the most commonly accepted story is that Robert the Bruce gave a portion of the stone to Cormac McCarthy, King of Munster, in gratitude for Irish support at the battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Installed at Cormac McCarthy’s stronghold, Blarney Castle, it then became known as the Blarney Stone. A century later, in 1446, King Dermot McCarthy then installed the stone in his newly erected castle.
The custom of kissing the Blarney Stone to receive the gift of gab is similarly legendary. One local legend claims that an old woman, saved from drowning by a king of Munster, rewarded him with a spell, that if he would kiss a stone on the castle’s top, he would gain a speech that would win all to him. Another says that the custom stemmed from the attempts of Queen Elizabeth I to take over Blarney Castle, a process that frustrated her to the point that she referred to talks and reports of everything about the castle as “blarney”. The word has thus come to mean “talk that aims to charm, pleasantly flatter, or persuade.”
Regardless of the merit of these legends, people have been kissing the Blarney Stone itself for centuries, although how they’ve actually done so has changed over the years.
Kissing the Blarney Stone
It’s not known exactly when people started actually kissing the Blarney Stone, which is set in the wall below the battlements of Blarney Castle, but they’ve been doing so for over 200 years. The Blarney Stone itself is among the machicolations of the castle, through which stones or other material could be dropped on attackers at the base of a defensive wall.
To kiss the Blarney Stone, visitors have to lean backward (holding on to an iron railing) from the parapet walk. Originally, visitors had to be held by the ankles and lowered head first over the battlements, but there’s no such danger associated with kissing the stone in the current day.
Kissing the stone is a unique experience and one that no other landmark can match in terms of engagement or influence. However, it’s far from the only things visitors can do at the castle. The view of the Irish countryside from up top of Blarney Castle battlements is incredible, while the gardens and rock close can keep visitors entertained for hours. The Dungeon, Witch Stone and Estate are just a few of the other features that can be explored in Blarney Castle itself.
Presidents and other leaders from across the world have come to Blarney Castle to kiss the stone over the years. Winston Churchill is among the notable figures that have kissed the stone. This popularity has contributed to the cultural and economic opportunities that have been opened up at the castle and for Ireland as a whole.
The Impact of Becoming a Top Attraction in Ireland
The direct economic opportunities that the Blarney Stone has created are both lucrative and powerful. Tickets can be purchased in advance, but admission to the Blarney House is additional. Blarney Castle & Gardens Annual Membership ticket options are available as well, which enable visitors to enjoy 60 acres of sprawling parklands that include gardens, avenues, arboretums and waterways.
For many years, visitors have been able to purchase a picture of themselves kissing the stone, but that picture is just one of the many things to buy at the location or online. Jewelry, clothing and items specifically geared toward children are just a few of the items available for purchase, along with Blarney Castle exclusives, such as the Blarney Castle certificate.
The popularity of the Blarney Stone has opened up other economic opportunities as well, as Blarney Castle, the House, Gardens and Estate are all available as locations for Film and Television work. Improvements of recent years allow the Castle to offer filmmakers a secure and full facility.
All of these items and options are geared toward the people that visit Blarney Castle, but numerous events and activities to engage the local community are held throughout the year. “Blarney in Bloom” is a garden fair designed to be a fun-filled day for the whole family while the castle has turned blue to mark World Autism Day. There are also a number of special events being held throughout the year when choirs and orchestras will perform at the castle.
These are just a few of the factors that enabled Blarney Castle to become among the top 20 fee-paying visitor attractions in Ireland. The unique experiences that visitors and residents can have at Blarney Castle have created a legacy that’s about much more than kissing a stone or receiving the gift of the gab.
A Legacy for the Present and Future
Because of the history and legend associated with Blarney Castle and the Blarney Stone, few other locations could ever attract audiences in the same manner. However, other historic sites and castles haven’t taken advantage of their history in a similar way, and the Blarney Stone highlights what kind of additional opportunities can be opened up by doing so.
The uniqueness of the experiences and variety of opportunities that have been enabled at Blarney Castle showcase the kind of engagement that monuments can create that will appeal to both residents and visitors. The Blarney Stone has been able to prove that doing so can create a legacy that can be tied to the past but is more about the present and future.
