Blarney Castle & the Blarney Stone and other County Cork, Ireland Things to Do Tips

Blarney castle

Blarney Castle is a wellknown castle a few miles north of the town of CORK.
You may step up to the very top of the castle and kiss the " Blarney Stone " .
Simply lay on your back, bend back your head in a crazy way into a hole of the top-fence - held by a strong man - and kiss that stone, that will give you the " gift of eloquence "
I admitt, I watched other tourists doing so, But refrained to do it myself...
....Hmmm, maybe I should have done it, but now it is too late anyway ;-((
Blarney-castle is open Monday to Saturday:
May: 09.00 a.m. to 06.30 p.m. Jun-Aug: untill 7 p.m.
Sept: 09.oo a.m. to 06.30 p.m.
Oct-Apr: 9 a.m. to sundown (or 6 p.m.)
and on Sundays:
During Summer: 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
In Winter: 9.30 a.m. to sundown
Last Admissions is 30 minutes before closing-time !!
Admission is 7 Euros / 5 Euros for senor-citizens
16 Euros for parents and 2 children !
The Castle is open for the entire year, except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

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Phone: +353 21 4385252
Address: Blarney castle / An Bhlarna
Directions: Blarney castle is a few miles north of the city of Cork - at first you have to take N20 and finally R617 in order to get there. plenty of sign-posts will lead you there, finally it is one of the most famous tourist-traps of that area !!
Website: http://www.blarneycastle.ie/
Other Contact: Fax+353 21 4381518

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Things To Do: Ilnacullin & Garinish Gardens in Glengarriff

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Written by globetrott

on Nov 23, 2005

Ilnacullin & Garinish Gardens in

Glengarriff

by globetrott , 1 more photos

Ilnacullin is a small island of 15 hectares (37 acres) in a distance of just a few hundred meters off the village of Glengarriff. Ilnacullin is the old name of the island and all of the island is an artificial garden, called Garinish (sometimes also Garnish) Gardens, well known to horticulturists and lovers of trees and shrubs all over the world. Annan Bryce, a rich merchant from Belfast had this garden built for his private use in 1910 with several buildings around the island and the so-called Italian garden in the centre of it - it reminds a lot of gardens of places like Pompeji.
The island is open for visitors between March 1st and October 31st
the rest of the year upon appointement !
Regular ships-trafic according to the opening-times !
When you are lucky you may watch the seals in the bay,
when cruising to the island !
Most probably you will need the whole day to explore the whole island !!

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Address: Glengarriff / Co.Cork
Directions: Go to Glengarriff first and then you simply follow the signs for the port, where the cruises to Garnish / Garinish island will start.
Website: http://www.cork-guide.ie/garnish.htm

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Things To Do: Eyeries / Na hAoral on Beara Peninsula

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Written by globetrott

on Nov 23, 2005

Eyeries / Na hAoral on Beara

Peninsula

by globetrott , 3 more photos

The small village of Eyeries (in Gaelic it is called Na hAoral) is about 10km north of Castletown-Bearhaven. It was great to see all of these colorfull houses there, mainly pubs and guesthouses, Bed&breakfasts etc.
In Eyeries I even saw a tourist-bus from the Netherlands last time and I really may not imagine, how it managed to get there on these small coastal-roads on Beara Peninsula.
I once had to drive slowly behind a group of cows & a bull, who did not want to leave the road for several kilometers, because there were the stone-fences at each side of the road and my car was heavy and loud, filling almost the full width of the road. The situation escalated, when a motorcycle came the other way - see my pictures !

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Address: Eyeries / Na hAoral on Beara Peninsula
Directions: Eyeries / Na hAoral is a small village on Beara Peninsula, about 10km north of Castletown-Bearhaven.

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Things To Do: Bantry / Beanntraighe & the Bantry House

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Written by globetrott

on Nov 23, 2005

Bantry House

Bantry ( Beanntraighe in the old gealic language) is mainly well known for the lovely Bantry Bay and for Bantry House that dates back to 1771. It was built for Richard White, the 1st Earl of Bantry (1767-1851) who had an important role in Ireland's history. In 1840 two more wings were added and today it is a museum for precious gobelins, icons, french furniture and great works of Art.
In the former stables of bantry House is the "1796 french Armada Museum" museum - the armada could not land there because of bad weather !
You may enter the park and the terrace facing the Bantry-bay free of charge. Only when you intend to see the galleries and the museum, you have to pay an entrance-fee.
Bantry House is open daily except sundays
between March and October 09.00a.m. - 06.00p.m.
in July & August it is open untill 08.00p.m.
The 1796 Armada Museum" is open daily
April-September 10.00a.m. - 06.00p.m.

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Phone: 027 50047
Address: Bantry , Co.Cork
Directions: Bantry is in the south-west of Ireland, about 80 km west of Cork. You may go there as well by train from Cork or Killarney.

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Things To Do: Beara Peninsula

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Written by globetrott

on Nov 23, 2005

Beara Peninsula

Beara Peninsula is in my personal opinion a much more beautiful part of western ireland than e.g. the Ring of Kerry and it is also an area, where most of the tourists pass by without even trying to explore that beautiful landscape.
Great and endless beaches, mostly without sand, but with a great mountain-scenery across the bay. The roads are mostly single-track-roads with passing-places and you will have to share them with sheep and cows.

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Address: Beara Peninsula / Co.Cork
Directions: Beara Peninsula is west of Glengarriff : most of the southern part is in Co. Cork, while a small part in the north of the peninsula (east of Ardgroom) is in Co.Kerry.

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Things To Do: Crookhaven

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Written by globetrott

on Nov 23, 2005

one of the sandy beaches in

Crookhaven

Crookhaven ( An Cruachan in Gaelic) is one of the very few places in Irelands south-west-coast that has a really big sandy beach and so you will find big camping-sites and many summerhouses there.
Mizen-peninsula is the perfect place for a quiet vacation, But you will need your own car or a bycycle.

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Address: Crookhaven / Co.Cork
Directions: Crookhaven is almost at the west-end of Mizen-peninsula, 10km east of Mizen Head.

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Things To Do: Youghal

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Written by globetrott

on Nov 23, 2005

Youghal - the clock-tower