Blarney Castle in Blarney, a village 8km (5 miles) to the northwest of Cork, is among Ireland’s oldest castles. It is famous for its stone, the Stone of Eloquence, which is traditionally believed to have the power to bestow the gift of eloquence on all those who kiss it. The grounds are also beautiful with the superb Rock Close, a landscaped garden where stone and nature collide, plus a pinetum, an arboretum, bog garden and the Castle’s very own poison garden, which contains toxic plants from around the world.
