 |
| Blarney Castle, County Cork, Ireland |
 |
| Mrs. Gym on a nice 'soft day' in Ireland |
June I, 2025
The second last port-o-call on this extended sea voyage was County Cork, Ireland. After zig-zagging back across the Irish Sea from Wales, the MS Vista pulled into Cobh (Cove) on June 1, 2025. Cove is an island community situated across Lough Mahon from the city of Cork. It sits on Great Island and its south coast is part of one of the largest deep-water ports in the world. It is where cruise ships dock when visiting the county and was the last port-of-call of the Titanic, before it ventured out onto the Atlantic in 1912. Cove itself is very picturesque and appears to be worth spending some time in but all the seafaring visitors that only have half a day here will want to visit Blarney Castle. That is what Gym and his lovely boss decided to do.
Blarney Castle is located on the other side of the City of Cork from the dock at Cove. To get there you must hire a car or jump on a bus and travel some 30 kilometres around the north side of the city. The drive time is about 45 minutes. You pass some very lush greenery as you go through the northern suburbs of the city and also some productive-looking farms which are flanked by broadleaf woodlots. The beautiful castle and its extensive castle grounds lie just off the highway, beyond the village of Blarney.
The Castle began as a small stone keep in 1210 and then in 1446, the McCarthy clan replaced the keep with the larger fortification that you see today. The McCarthys lost the estate during the Williamite Wars and the property was ceded to the English Crown. In 1703 the Crown sold it to Sir James Jeffereyes and it stayed in his family until the Colthurst family married into it in 1846. The current owner is the 10th Baronet Sir Charles Colthurst. He manages Blarney Castle, the extensive grounds around it and significant other acreage in County Cork. Unfortunately, several generations back the castle fell into disrepair and it is not habitable anymore. The Baronet lives in a grand mansion not far from the castle on the grounds.
One can study the battlements of the castle in detail by enduring a long queue and eventually, climbing to the top of the outer walls to kiss the Blarney Stone. An added benefit of climbing the 125 stairs and smooching the stone, is that you become blessed with the gift of gab. Just one kiss and presto! Sadly, Gym had just had back surgery a few months before and passed on this opportunity because of the posture one must assume to canoodle with the bulwarks. You must bend backwards over a sheer drop and kiss the stone upside down. I'm sure many of you agree that Gym is already quite eloquent and therefor he was right not to test the three lumbar vertebrae that were shored up by a skilled surgeon in 2024.
Gym and his dear wife, did circle the castle and explored most of the beautiful grounds on the property.The gardens include a plot of poisonous plants, a carnivorous plant courtyard, a boardwalk over a water garden, a fern garden and a rocky area bordered by tall old-growth, specimen and native trees. They spent over an hour wandering around the well-maintained paths and delighted in the Seven Sisters, the Wishing Steps and the Witch's Kitchen. They also climbed over the lower battlements, checked out the dungeon and took some lovely pictures.
After leaving the grounds, it was important to check out the Blarney Wollen Mill which used to be a factory but now is a department store carrying everything Irish. Mrs. Gym was naturally drawn to this shopping emporium because she loves to buy stuff. Gym was drawn there because he had been given a coupon for a free Irish Coffee, on the bus trip from the ship. They grabbed the free drinks and then shopped diligently until it was time to meet the bus. Despite thoroughly combing through the items on the first floor they found they did not have time to look around on floors 2 and 3. Gym picked up a Guinness ball cap which he coveted greatly. Mrs. Gym bought woollen gloves and mittens for the folks back home.
Early that afternoon the ship steamed out of Cove harbour and into the Celtic Sea. It left early because it had to sail to Guernsey Island off the coast of France. Guernsey, the last stop on this epic itinerary was 500 km away. That seems far doesn't it? Gym learned that 500 kilometres wasn't an issue since the Vista cruises at twenty knots per hour (~40km/hr).
Addendums:
1. Why do you think Ireland is so green? Yes, it rains a lot! But when Gym spent a damp day there, the guide referred to it as just a pleasant "soft day". You see, a misty, light rain is very well tolerated by the locals. Gym assures you though that you will get wet on a soft day.
2. Cobh (Cove) was the last stop of the Titanic before it started its transatlantic leg. About 150 embarked from this port, most of them third-class passengers like the widow Mrs. Rice and her 5 young boys who all perished 5 days later. She is buried in Halifax. Gym's paternal grandmother was a Rice whose ancestors crossed successfully in sailing ships many years before the Titanic's maiden voyage.
 |
| Arriving at the dock in Cove, Cork |
 |
| Driving from Cove to Blarney it is obvious why this is the Emerald Isle |
 prospective |
 |
| From the lower battlements, looking back across the grounds |
You can't go in the Dungeon because
you will disturb the bats.
 |
| A nice view from the Blarney grounds |
 |
| Monkshood, a poisonous plant in the 'Don't Touch' garden |
 |
| Cannabis not deadly, but maybe not legal in Ireland |
 |
| Not far from the Poison Garden is a cool structure called the Lookout Tower. It may be part of an older fortification on the site. |
 |
| A typical well-manicured path at Blarney Gardens |
 |
| Druid's Alter flanked by towering Yew trees |
 |
| The Wishing Steps |
 |
| The Dolmen that may be a natural erratic rock formation and was undoubtedly used by druids |
 |
| The Seven Sisters are seven upright stones and two fallen stones. Legend has it that an Irish chief had seven daughters and two sons. His sons were both killed in battle and this monument was the result. |
 |
| Another nice view of the castle from the grounds |
You can't go in the Dungeon because you will disturb the bats. |
 |
| Boardwalk and Water Garden |
 |
| ‘Everything Irish’ Department Store |
 |
| Leaving Cove Harbour to steam out to the Celtic Sea |
