Cork and the Blarney Stone

[macaroni]

On a cruise stop, will I be able to do both of these...thanks!

[Bowie MeMe]

I don't know if you can do them in a shore excursion (I was on land tour at least 20 years ago) but just know what you are getting into for Blarney Stone. I was SO WRONG in what I was a thinking before I got there. The Blarney Stone is WAAAY up at the top of the castle (partially in ruins and no hand rails) and you have to lay on your back and lean over the edge to kiss the stone with an old geezer hanging on to your feet :eek: :eek: I was so shocked -- was just sure it was a little boulder that you walked up to. I should have had a Guinness before I went!!!

[LondonTowner]

Ha,ha, yes, when I visited Blarney I too was surprised. In fact, I didn't kiss it. I thought it looked unhygienic. I remember somebody being there to hold on to my feet as you have to lie backwards, but I thought there was a rail above it. It is very touristy around Blarney, so if I had to choose between Blarney or Cork I would choose Cork.

[KirkNC]

We went and saw it but no way we're we going to kiss it, once one sees it you will understand. The stone was a let down for us but the gardens around the castle were very nice. We also enjoyed Kinsdale for lunch.

[4774Papa]

We did a private tour that included Blarney Castle and Kindle. Great tour and Kindle was a pleasant surprise.

 

One issue was that line a Blarney Castle to go into the Castle (castle has no roof anymore, but still has walls) was very long. We waited 45 minutes just to get into the castle. Still, we had time to see what we wanted to see. Try getting there as early as possible.

[pompeii]

We loved Blarney Castle! We went with ECoach and were one of the first buses to arrive. We hoofed it directly up to the castle (bought our tickets ahead of time online) and there was no line up to the Blarney Stone so we were able to walk right up. By the time we kissed it (yes, we did but mine was an "air kiss") and got back down the other side, the line was an hour long. So yes, get there right away if you want to kiss the stone.

 

But even if you don't, the grounds of Blarney Castle are gorgeous! We found it very enchanting to wander along the paths, through the little caves, past the waterfalls.......no one had told us how beautiful it was there and we were very pleasantly surprised!

[bcnvcanada]

You might try Butler Bus tours, they do a day tour from the port, to the Castle. We got there before all the tour buses from the ship. Lovely grounds,

also the Barney Woolen Mill is across the parking lot. Tour did a drive by tour

of Cobb, and they on to Kinsele, sp a fort and a lovely town. On the return we did a tour to a church and drive around Cobb.

[4774Papa]

You might try Butler Bus tours, they do a day tour from the port, to the Castle. We got there before all the tour buses from the ship. Lovely grounds,

also the Barney Woolen Mill is across the parking lot. Tour did a drive by tour

of Cobb, and they on to Kinsele, sp a fort and a lovely town. On the return we did a tour to a church and drive around Cobb.

 

We did the Butler tour, it was very reasonable and a nice tour.

[flames9]

Line ups can get long at the castle.....1 gal (not in our group) was claustrophobic and was having issues.....then he had more issues once we got up top.....she was afraid of the height..and crawled! We were a small tour group and got their ahead of the big bus tour groups! Did not kiss the stone! The grounds are very nice.

[dsrdsrdsr]

I don't know if you can do them in a shore excursion (I was on land tour at least 20 years ago) but just know what you are getting into for Blarney Stone. I was SO WRONG in what I was a thinking before I got there. The Blarney Stone is WAAAY up at the top of the castle (partially in ruins and no hand rails) and you have to lay on your back and lean over the edge to kiss the stone with an old geezer hanging on to your feet :eek: :eek: I was so shocked -- was just sure it was a little boulder that you walked up to. I should have had a Guinness before I went!!!

 

There are rails round the stone, so it's not as if there is any danger of falling off. It doesn't look very comfortable, though.

[pompeii]

We loved Blarney Castle! We went with ECoach and were one of the first buses to arrive. We hoofed it directly up to the castle (bought our tickets ahead of time online) and there was no line up to the Blarney Stone so we were able to walk right up. By the time we kissed it (yes, we did but mine was an "air kiss") and got back down the other side, the line was an hour long. So yes, get there right away if you want to kiss the stone.

 

But even if you don't, the grounds of Blarney Castle are gorgeous! We found it very enchanting to wander along the paths, through the little caves, past the waterfalls.......no one had told us how beautiful it was there and we were very pleasantly surprised!

 

You might try Butler Bus tours, they do a day tour from the port, to the Castle. We got there before all the tour buses from the ship. Lovely grounds,

also the Barney Woolen Mill is across the parking lot. Tour did a drive by tour

of Cobb, and they on to Kinsele, sp a fort and a lovely town. On the return we did a tour to a church and drive around Cobb.

 

Yes, the Ecoach tour we went on was through Butler as I recall. It was very reasonable ($35 pp I think?) and we did all the stops listed above. It was a tour on a full sized bus, which I usually try to avoid, but they did a great job.

http://www.ecoach.ie/

 

I just looked at their website and it looks like they charge 49 euro now, including the entrance to Blarney Castle.

[RJB]

You might try Butler Bus tours, they do a day tour from the port, to the Castle. We got there before all the tour buses from the ship. Lovely grounds,

also the Barney Woolen Mill is across the parking lot. Tour did a drive by tour

of Cobb, and they on to Kinsele, sp a fort and a lovely town. On the return we did a tour to a church and drive around Cobb.

We used Butlers for a private tour. Were eight of us and they were wonderful. Spent about five hours and then back to the port.

[kerryincork]

Blarney gardens is a lovely walk, I've never kissed the Blarney stone and I'm from Cork ☺ under the castle they have a nice display about the history of the area. If you walk to Blarney house they have a nice cafe in the old stables with outside eating area. There's also Blarney woollen mills if you like jumpers☺. But there is a lot more to cork than just blarney. Fota wildlife park & house and Gardens is only a 10 min train journey, ship docks directly opposite train station with trains leaving every half hour. It's a lovely wildlife park with lots of big spaces for the animals to roam, so you don't feel the animals are penned in.

If you are an adult party you can take a train to Middleton (30 min, with 1 change) and visit Jameson whisky distillery, for a tour and whisky tasting. By taking the same train again you can head to Cork city itself (on the same train ) it's a very easy walk to city centre, though not the prettiest of areas, a taxi shouldn't be too expensive to Patrick St. As it is only down the Quay and across the bridge, if you head to the 'Old English Market" you might get a real find, they sell all sorts of food & delicacies. So really plenty of options. Train fare to Cork city or Middleton is €7.50 return & about half this to Fota. A taxi to Middleton would be about €20 each way. Taxi to the city would be twice that, best to ask taxi driver for a price before you get in.

[bl413]

Can we take a train or taxi to Blarney Castle & Fota then go to Cork & Middleton

[kerryincork]

Public transport is pretty bad in Cork. You can get the train to Fota, Middleton & Cork city. But not Blarney. Taxi would be very expensive, it would be cheaper to hire a mini bus (if you can get others to share with you). You could get to all those places in one day but you would have no time to really experience anything and spend most of the day travelling. If you are organised you could do 2 sites one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

[blrabbit]

I have booked a tour in Cork which including Blarney Castle, Cork city, Kinsale & Cobh but some of us like to go to Jameson Irish whiskey. We arrive on 5/12 @ 10:00 & leave @ 19:00. So I wonder if we have time for Jameson Irish whiskey or cut short on any itinerary we have or skip the part of the castle tour (kiss the stone).

THnaks,

Bob:)

[macaroni]

I have booked a tour in Cork which including Blarney Castle, Cork city, Kinsale & Cobh but some of us like to go to Jameson Irish whiskey. We arrive on 5/12 @ 10:00 & leave @ 19:00. So I wonder if we have time for Jameson Irish whiskey or cut short on any itinerary we have or skip the part of the castle tour (kiss the stone).

THnaks,

Bob:)

 

Who are you using? Thanks!

[prish]

Who are you using? Thanks!

 

Marconi, my sister and I were on a British Isles cruise last August and did Cork, Blarney Castle and Kinsale with Paddywagon tours. We were about 8-10 in a minibus and had a wonderful day. The Blarney gardens were lovely and we enjoyed walking, we also got there pretty early and made it up to the top of the castle without waiting. The lines were horrendous by the time we got back, also got to be pretty hot.

 

I will most probably contact Paddywagon for our family group of 7 for next June, you could join us if you are interested. I do need to check and join the RC, just haven't had the time to do so, things are rather hectic at work now:D

[blrabbit]

Who are you using? Thanks!

 

We use Elegant Irish Tours (is a sister company of Paddywagon) but they handle smaller group (we have 19):D

Bob :)

[kerryincork]

If you did Jameson, I would skip Kinsale as it is the furthest away.

[prish]

If you did Jameson, I would skip Kinsale as it is the furthest away.

 

I agree, even if you don't kiss the stone you absolutely must climb up to the top of Blarney caste, the views are stunning. Cut out Kinsale if necessary, though two couples on our tour did the Jameson tour after we got back from Kinsale. Suggest you ask the tour operator, they'd have a good idea how to work it in.