The weather in Cork City was probably some of the soggiest of our entire trip. During our time there we saw nothing but cool rain with small breaks of cloudy weather in between. Thanks to our raincoats and waterproof shoes, it didn’t dissuade us from getting out and exploring. We really took advantage of the one full day we had there.
According to 23andMe my ancestors come from County Cork so this region was especially interesting to me.
Blarney Castle is just a mere twenty minute drive from the city of Cork and of all the tourist attractions we visited I would say this is the one that was most worth the price of admission. Coming from a country that's not even three hundred years old I'm still in awe of how numerous and close to the cities some of these ancient ruins are.
The castle itself was still surprisingly intact and the grounds and gardens surrounding the castle could easily warrant a full day of exploring.
We climbed the narrow and seemingly endless spiral staircase to the top floor and the views were stunning. As luck would have it the roof is where the Blarney Stone is to be found.
Of course, I had to partake. Supposedly those who kiss the stone will gain "the gift of the gab" for the the rest of their days. I'll take it! Incase you're wondering, yes, they sanitize the stone with alcohol after each person. As an added bonus, after bending over backwards at nearly a forty-five degree angle my back felt a whole lot better afterwards, a free chiropractic adjustment!
This was the carriage house for the castle. I couldn't believe how elaborately painted the carriages were, they were like medieval RVs that had beds and even stoves in them to keep the royalty comfortable during long journeys. After our tour we had a fabulous traditional Irish lunch at the Blarney Castle Hotel. If you ever tour the castle I would highly recommend having a meal here. It was some of the best food I remember from the entire trip.
After the castle tour we had half of that afternoon left to explore Cork.
First, stop was the English Market. All of the YouTuber's mentioned this as a "must see" in Cork. It was nice and I wouldn't dissuade you from checking it out if you visit Cork but it didn't really live up to the hype for us.
Cork City, had a completely different feel to it that the other cities we stayed in. It is a huge college town and definitely grittier with graffiti everywhere. It took me a day to settle into the vibe of the place and really "get it". Once I did this Cork, with it's narrow alleys, great restaurants and countless shops revealed to us its charm and great beauty.
I'll be doing one final post on my thoughts about the great country of Ireland and tips for any of you who're thinking of traveling to the Emerald Isle. I hope you've enjoyed this series as much as I've enjoyed putting it together!
Click on the YouTube Video below for all of our pictures from this fourth and final part of our adventures in Ireland.
~Eric Vance Walton~
Thanks for reading! All for now. Remember…trust your instincts, invest in you, live boldly, and take chances.
(Photos and video are original.)
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