Blarney Castle is about a 20-minute drive from the City Centre of Cork. We left the River Lee Hotel early to be at the front of the line when the gate opened at 9:00. I realized what a smart move that was as we wound our way up to the castle, passed signs that read 30, 60, and 90 minutes to the Blarney Stone from here, and could see people filing in behind us along the path.

After a brisk walk and a slight detour to the wrong entrance, we passed through photo-op gallows, flower beds, and the gift shop. We entered the castle. The task at hand — climbing a for real castle — immediately sunk in. (I am not sure why I had not thought more about it before that moment, but that is how it happened.) Panic ensued with each stony, narrow, damp step. Step. Step. Step. After Step. Step. Step. (128 total steps when complete.) Breathe. Look forward not out the “windows.” The walls are not narrowing as we climb. The walls are not narrowing as we climb. The walls are not narrowing as we climb. 

Full-on panic and tears were my state as we moved from the stairwell to the castle’s top floor, where we would wait in a small line to kiss the Blarney Stone. There are several tales explaining why people kiss the Blarney Stone, most allude to receiving the gift of persuasion or gab. The stone was built into the castle’s east wall about 85 feet above the ground. Today — it was even scarier in the past — kissing the stone requires you to lie on your back with your arms extended out, holding steel bars while being balanced, allowing you to extend yourself outward to the stone. When I arrived at the stone, I was shaken but there was no way I was not going to kiss the stone. Somewhere between terror and determination, I laid on my back and quickly moved my lips toward the stone. I extended myself as far as my body and mind would allow. For all intents and purposes, I kissed the stone.

Overcome with relief that had not yet turned into satisfaction or pride, I immediately thought about getting down from the top of the castle. I would now have to walk down. All things considered, down was easier. We got closer to the ground and my breath returned. We bought pictures of the kiss in the gift shop and walked around the 60 acres of beautiful gardens.

Cork

After Blarney Castle, we explored Cork all afternoon. We ate lunch at SpitJack, bought chocolate at The Chocolate Shopin English Market, and shared pints at The Roundy, Long Valley, Dan Lowrey’s, The Shelbourne, and Sin é.

Our Cork adventure ended with dinner at Ichigo Ichie. We enjoyed the kakiage don – deep-fried vegetables, prawn tempura soba, tsukimi soba with salmon and egg — yet another Michelin Bib Gourmand experience.