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Published: December 27th 2008
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Roundabout Sign For Blarney
The roundabout sign for Blarney, Ireland. After seeing U2 in Dublin the night before, you would think that the rest of a three day trip to Ireland would be a disappointment, but that wasn't the case at all.
Having only three days planned in Ireland, it was a rush to fit in as much as possible. Sunday, June 26th, 2005 included a drive from Dublin to Blarney with an unplanned side trip through the city of Cork first while attempting to locate the small village of Blarney. Cork is not a city in Ireland that is ammenable to driving. After negotiating roundabouts in Ireland, this city has a strange preference for stop lights, but they are not your normal stop lights. The lights for the east-west intersection flash red for example, while the lights for the north-south interection flash yellow. This ambiguity leaves all but the locals confused as to whom has the right of way. It would seem logical that the flashing red lights mean stop and that the flashing yellow lights mean caution, but that didn't seem to be the case. We saw cars never even hesitating at the flashing red lights, while other cars came to a complete stop at the flashing yellow
Blarney Town Sign
The town sign for Blarney, Ireland. lights. It is a contridiction that I still haven't resolved to this day. Suffice it to say, avoid Cork if at all possible.
Blarney lies just a few miles northwest of Cork. The small village's atmosphere is worlds away from the city atmosphere of Cork. Although a tourist attraction, Blarney Castle is still worth a look. Although the castle lies partially in ruins, it is still possible to negotiate your way to the top where the Blarney Stone is located. Originally dating from around 1200 AD and having been destroyed and rebuilt in 1446, there are still some accessible rooms and battlements. Once you've reached the top of the castle, kissing the Blarney Stone involves grasping two steel 'handles' and hanging upside down over a sheer drop off. There are men that hold your arms steady while another takes your picture so the experience isn't quite as intimidating as it sounds. Make sure that someone is there to take your picture as you kiss the Stone if you want one or you will need to pay for the one taken by the employee at the top of the Castle.
After descending Blarney Castle, look for the underground cave
Blarney Castle
Blarney Castle, Blarney, Ireland. that connects Blarney Castle with Blarney House. You can actually go into the cave (bring a flashlight) and explore. It's dark, it's wet, and it's not for someone over five feet tall but you are able to explore as much of the cave as you desire.
A short walk from Blarney Castle, Blarney House is a Baronial style mansion built in 1874 that is open to the public. It was under renovation in 2005, so I didn't get to tour the house until the following year. You will only be allowed in certain parts of the house, as the family still lives in Blarney House today, so certain rooms are totally off-limits. It was ok, but there are so many rooms that you aren't able to see that it's difficult to justify the cost of admittance for what little you are allowed access to.
This first year in Ireland, with only three days to see as much as possible, we didn't spend as much time as we should have at Blarney Castle, necessitating a return visit in 2006.
From Dublin to Cork to Blarney on this day, it was now time to see part of the Ring
Blarney Castle Turret
A turret of Blarney Castle, Blarney, Ireland. of Kerry. Although it would have been nice to tour the entire 120 mile Ring, it just wasn't possible on this trip. We'd only made it about halfway around the Ring by 8:00 p.m. and we were still six hours' drive from Dublin and our hotel for a 9:00 a.m. flight to London the following morning.
What we did see of the Ring, however, was spectacular. Impressive enough that we knew there would be a return trip to Ireland the following year. The western coast of Ireland is beautiful beyond description. The mountains and seas meld together as if they were one. The local farmers and their sheep bring to mind an era not experienced in two hundred years.
We began at the southeast corner of the Ring at the town of Kenmare and drove clockwise around the Ring. At 8:00 p.m., having only negotiated half of the Ring and finding ourselves on the western most point of the Iveraugh Peninsula, we decided that it was time to head back to Dublin. Ever the adventurers, rather than turn around and drive back the way that we came, we found a single narrow road that cuts directly across the
Countryside View
A view of the surrounding Blarney countryside from the top of Blarney Castle, Blarney, Ireland. peninsula and ends in Kilarney. What a drive that was! The road is narrow with barely enough room for two cars to pass. It winds through the mountains with sheer drop offs and no guard rails for protection from the gullies hundreds of feet below. The scenery was spectacular, but there was little time to enjoy it, as the locals didn't seem to have a problem driving 60-70 m.p.h. on this road. A little known fact, but a very acceptable practice in both Ireland and England, is to pull over and let the locals pass--if you can find a pull off alongside the road.
As we were in a hurry to get started back to Dublin, naturally, there had to be an incident. After successfully negotiating this Death Road for over an hour, a local suddenly appeared in the rear view mirror, speeding precariously and flashing his lights as an indication that he wanted to pass. After finding a pull off and allowing him by, traffic suddenly crawled to a stop. A policeman stood in the middle of the road slowing down traffic. The cars lined up and waited. And waited. After ten minutes or so, an ambulance came
Another Shot of Blarney Castle
Another shot of Blarney Castle, Blarney, Ireland. screaming through the traffic, using the other lane to get to the auto accident which had just occured. Within a few minutes, cars were again allowed to continue on the mountain road, slowly. As we made a 90 degree corner turning to the left, we saw the car that had passed us just a few minutes earlier. It was off the road and embankment, literally in the treetops. The driver was slumped over the steering wheel, airbag deployed. The ambulance sat alongside the road with no attempt made to rescue the driver, as from the somber looks on the emergency workers' faces, there was no need to be in a hurry. It would be a curiosity to know just how many lives these narrow and mountainous roads claim per year. Even locals are not immune to horrific and fatal accidents. Taking great care and being very aware of your surroundings is a necessity when negotiating these back roads.
We didn't arrive back in Dublin until 1:00 a.m., with a 9:00 a.m. flight to London that same day. We had seen a lot of Ireland in just three days, and knew that we had to return and explore more of
Tower Close Up
A close up of Blarney Castle, Blarney, Ireland. this beautiful and punishing landscape.
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