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Welcome to Blarney
Accommodation
The Muskerry Arms, Blarney Golfing Lee Valley Golf Course ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Want to be listed on the Guide to Cork? Sign Up Here > -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Blarney (An Bhlárna in Irish), is a village 8km northwest of Cork in Ireland. It is the site of Blarney Castle, home of the legendary Blarney Stone. The modern definition of the word goes something like this:
Blarney (noun) - A charming way of persuading people.
 By kissing the Blarney Stone, you receive the "Gift of the Gab". The gift of the gab is best described in the context of "What Blarney!" - the term used by the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth I. This was in response to Cormac Teige McCarthy's attempt to sweet talk his way out of a sticky situation, during negotiations of the takeover of the Blarney Castle by the occupying English forces. Cormac himself was the King of Munster, living in the Blarney Castle around the 14th century. The stone itself is rumoured to have been created by a witch way back in the middle ages.
Blarney village is a major tourist attraction in County Cork. Mostly people come to see the castle, kiss the stone, and go shopping in Christy's - also known as the Blarney Woollen Mills.
The middle of the village is dominated by The Square - a grass field where Blarney locals and the town people from Cork City journey to during the summer. Activities include soccer, sunbathing, smoking fags and getting (drinking outdoors). Roy Keane, the legendary Irish Internatioal soccer player and renowned Manchester United captain, made a cameo appearance at The Square league. His team lost that day.
Various attempts to do something with the square over the years have always been met with stiff objection from the locals. Previous uses include a market square, and the area is now a few hundred years old. |
