The History Of Blarney Castle

Blarney Castle is a 600-year-old monument established by the King of Munster, Dermot McCarthy, in the year 1446. The castle isn’t just a demolished monument but consists of the world-famous Blarney Stone, Blarney Gardens, The Rock Close, and the castle itself.

Blarney Castle History

The castle that can be viewed by visitors today is the third to be erected on the site. Previously, two castles had been erected and demolished until the third, and the present one was built by the King of Munster, Dermot McCarthy. The first structure was made of wood, built in the tenth century. In 1210 AD, this was replaced by a structure built of stone consisting of a special entrance. Later, in the year 1446, the third structure was built. At the time of the Williamite War of Ireland, in the year 1690, the 4th Earl of Clancarty: Donough MacCarty was captured, and all his lands, including the Blarney, were confiscated by the Williamites.

The castle changed many hands, from the Williamites to Sir Richard Pyne, the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, it’s possession was transferred to many before finally being purchased by Sir James St John Jefferyes, Governor of Cork City, in the early 18th century. The members of the Jefferyes family constructed a house nearby, which unfortunately caught fire, and in the year 1874, a replacement of the house was built on the same site, which is called the Blarney House. The mansion was built in Scottish baronial style overlooking the nearby lake. In the mid 19th century, the Jefferys and Colthrust family were joined by a marital alliance, and the Colthurst family still occupies the domain.

Tourism

The most popular part of Blarney Castle is the Blarney Stone set atop the tower. Every year thousands of people visit the Blarney stone to kiss it, for it is believed that once kissed, the stone bestows on man the gift of eloquence. Numerous stories and folktales speak of the mystery of the stone but what the castle believes is that a witch, when saved from drowning, revealed its power to the MacCarthys. The Blarney Gardens are one of the most famous spots in The Blarney Castle. Blarney has over 60 acres of sprawling parklands which include gardens, avenues, arboretums, and waterways. There are over 10 types of Gardens available on the premises which people take significant interest in according to seasons. One of the most house-packed seasons is autumn.

Blarney also has something called the Rock Close, which they describe as a romantic spot of nature and art combined. It is a wonderful spot to take a stroll in comprising of a lot of mysteries and art. Not only this, but the castle has The Badger’s Cave, The Court, The Dungeon, The Estate,
The Battlements View, Wishing Steps, The Lake, The North Wall, and the perhaps most interesting: Witch’s Kitchen.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why is Blarney Castle so famous?

Blarney Castle is one of the strongest surviving tower houses in Ireland. It is the most famous for The Blarney Stone, also called the stone of eloquence located atop the tower, which carries with itself the belief of granting the gift of eloquence to the person that kisses it.

• Who owns Blarney Castle?

Charles St John Colthurst or simply the Colthurst family owns and operates the castle for over a hundred years now, who received it through a marital alliance from the Jefferys, who was the governor of the Cork City in the 19th century.

• What was the purpose of Blarney Castle?

The Blarney Castle was built in 1446 by Dermot McCarthy, King of Munster to house the rich families of wealthy landowners. It was a third replacement to the other two structures built previously on the same site. It currently serves the purpose of recreation, housing a number of visitors in nearby hotels with a rich culture of fauna and fauna along with some fancy spots like The Blarney Stone, Witch’s Kitchen, etc.

Have you visited this castle before? If yes, why not share some beautiful pictures with us!
You can email us your pictures of the castle at castrumtocastle@gmail.com. Please use the name of the castle in the subject line.

Also, don’t forget to mention your name and social media profile link if you want the credits!

Saurabh Sharma

Meet Saurabh Sharma, a tech pro with a master's from Latvia's Riga Technical University. He's great with computers, focusing on Cloud Computing and DevOps. But here's the cool part – Saurabh has traveled to places like Nordic, Baltic, and other parts of Europe. And guess what? He's into European history, monuments, castles, and museums. Whether he's coding or exploring, he's always curious, showing a love for different places and histories.