Castles in County Cork.
Irish Castles.

(Small field.)

Read about Blarney Castle from Irish Pictures Drawn with Pen and Pencil by Richard Lovett

Blarney Castle is situated on a steep rock rising above the River Martin, an adjacent Rock close by is said to have Druidic connections. The castle, the third to be erected on the site, was built by Cormac Laidhr Macarthy, lord of Muskerry, a descendant of the ancient kings of Desmond and Cork The walls are some 85 ft high and 12 feet thick at the base. It came under siege several times during the 16th and 17th century but finally fell to the William's III army in 1690 being largely destroyed. An inscription on the castle reads 'Cormac Macarthy fortis me fieri facit AD 1446' (Cormac MacCarthy built me strongly in 1446)

Eloquence and The Blarney Stone.
This appears to originate from the time of Elizabeth I. The Lord of Blarney at the time was Cormac MacDermot MacCarthy was asked by George Carew the Queen's Deputy in Ireland to give up the Irish tradition of electing the clan chiefs, and transfer his allegiance to the English crown, MacCarthy continually side stepped with promises and elequent statements, until finally in exasperation the Queen exploded 'Blarney! Blarney! What he says he never means. It's the usual Blarney!'

The Blarney Stone is situated high under the battlement, the tradition of kissing the blarney stone appears to date from the 18th century when the estate was held by the Jeffrey's family. Tradition says that those who kiss the stone will receive the blessing of elequence. Some say that the stone is part of the Stone of Scone the crowning stone of the Kings of Scotland now in Westminster Abbey.

Around 1600 with the threat of Spanish invasion Queen Elizabeth II ordered its building. It is situated just off Barrack Street. Fine views of the city are to be had from the parts of it that are open to the public.

This fort was built between the years of 1678 - 81 it was designed by William Robinson, it is modeled on those built for King Louis IV of France. The grounds are enclosed by a star shaped wall with five major bastions. Outside the main ramparts is a dry moat protected by a exterior wall.

Inside are the original magazine, guard house, and governors residence as well as a ruined nineteenth century barracks. During the Williamite War the fort fell after a thirteen day siege to John Churchill earl of Marlborough in 1690

This ivy clad ruin stands guard between the provinces of Munster and Leinster. It was once the main fortress of the O'Carrolls, strategically situated watching over the route between Munster and Leinster. It was renowned for a 'smelly ghost'. It was said by locals to be one of the most haunted castles in Europe. The castle was destroyed in 1922 during the Civil War. There is a ring fort nearby.