Samuel Lewis in his 1837 Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, refers to the Castle at Blarney, describing it as a very picturesque ruin but one which from the top, ‘commands a very fine view over a rich undulating tract intersected by the rivers Blarney, Comane, and Scor-thonac, and bounded on the north-west by the lofty chain of the Boggra mountains. On the east is the Comane bog, many years since an impenetrable wilderness, and the last receptacle for wolves in this part of the country: that river, which takes its name from its serpentine course, flows through the bog and joins the river Blarney under the walls of the castle; and their united waters receive a considerable accession from the Scorthonac, a rapid stream which rises in the Boggra mountains’.
Most of the interest in the castle comes from its famous stone, said to bestow the gift of flattery on those who kiss it. At that time, there was some danger involved in this act, as it involved being lowered to the stone by a rope from a height of over 130 feet. The castle, as seen today, is thought to be in its 3rd iteration, having firstly existed in the 10th century as a wooden structure.
References
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About Blarney Castle & Gardens | Ireland | VIEW SOURCE |
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Archive Footage - Kissing the Stone | Ireland | VIEW SOURCE |
