Feb 192014
Today was a visit to Blarney Castle, so yes, that meant kissing the Blarney Stone.
Blarney Castle is a little over a one hour drive through beautiful country from Killarney. We went along side the Darrynasagart Mountains that had a dusting of snow on their tops and continued traveling along the Lee River, which was running very full and very fast.
The Blarney Stone is on the top of the castle. You climb 108 steps to get to the top. They are the typical steps you expect in a castle, narrow, steep, and thanks to the rain, slippery.
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There are little rooms to step into along the way if you get a tad nervous. I was eternally grateful that we were there off season. I can not imagine doing this stairway in the height of tourism season. Like everything in todays world, the experience is well controlled. There is a fella there to help you lay on your back and bend backwards to “do the deed”. I asked someone to take my picture while doing it, but lo and behold, they got nothing. Not to worry, you can pay 10 euros for the one they automatically take when you bend down.
The picture is actually pretty good, but this is a picture OF the picture. We had glorious weather, a shower here and there, but it broke often enough for us to enjoy the grounds.
There are other sites on the 60 acres that make up the park, we took time to explore the Rock Close, much of which was closed due to downed trees. The Rock Close is said to be on the site of an ancient druidic settlement. There are some beautiful rock formations in the Rock Close including the Wishing Steps. This is Mari walking down, backwards and with her eyes closed. That is how you have your wish granted.
There is the Witches Kitchen, which is a beautiful cave under a stunning old tree. It was impossible to capture it all as the quarters are rather small.
What I loved, of course, is that there are little art installations everywhere. Whomever is the curator I give them a big round of applause, every piece was absolutely perfect for its location.
These were two of my favorites, and I promise they will eventually end up on ArtandArchitecture-SF when I get home and can do more research,
Both pieces are of ceramic. The top one is “Puffballs” by Michelle Maher and the second is Symmetry, also by Michelle Maher.
After a cupper we headed to the lovely seaside town of Kinsale. It is known as the gourmet capital of Ireland, and has quite a number of four and five star restaurants. We didn’t have time for dining, but stopped in a fabulous book shop / coffee shop and I walked a way with a few great books and a belly full of pastry.
We had but a photo-op at Charles Fort, which dates from 1677. It was built to protect the area and specifically the harbour from use by the French and Spanish in the event of a landing in Ireland. James’s Fort is located on the other side of the cove. An underwater chain used to be strung between the two forts across the harbour mouth during times of war to scuttle enemy ships by ripping the bottoms out of them.
I admit, so many times Michael would drag me through forts like this, and I would fain excitement. This one however, I really would have loved to have walked through, the stone work was just glorious. It appears to be almost built into the side of the mountain, intriguing me even more. Here is a photo I pulled off the internet.
Of other historical interest about Kinsale is about the RMS Lusitania. On May 7, 1915 the RMS Lusitania was nearing the end of her crossing from New York to Liverpool. She was running parallel to the south coast of Ireland, and was roughly 11 miles off the Old Head of Kinsale (a headland near the town) when sunk by a German U-boat. Some of the bodies and survivors were brought to Kinsale and the subsequent inquest on the bodies recovered was held in the town’s courthouse.
Kinsale is a popular summer resort with both the Irish and others.
Normal population is 2700 but it grows significantly in the summer time.
As you can see – it is a quaint and historic little town.
