Kiss the Blarney Stone in Ireland

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Millions have flocked to Ireland to kiss the Blarney Stone and receive the gift of eloquence. It is said that by bending over backwards while holding on to an iron railing and giving this legendary stone a smooch, you’ll never be at a loss for words.

That’d be a helpful super power. I could use eloquence.

The Blarney Stone can be found five miles from the city of Cork, at the Blarney Castle. This castle began as a wooden structure built in the tenth century, then was replaced by a stone structure in 1210 A.D. After that was demolished, it was resurrected in 1446.

Though the history of Blarney Castle is quite clear, the origin of the Blarney Stone remains a mystery.


Blarney Castle in Ireland

Whatever the origin may be, after checking off sleep in an Irish castle from my bucket list, the next thing on the Ireland travel itinerary was to kiss this legendary stone at another. 

Two days. Two castles. Two bucket list checks. #winning

Annette White at the Blarney Castle Ireland
clothing by prAna

We arrived at the nearly vacant Blarney Castle at 9:30am on a Sunday, a half hour after opening. Apparently, this was a really good time because there were only a couple dozen people walking around the expansive grounds.

Hurrah to that.


Just about to Kiss the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle in Ireland

Though the area surrounding the castle was the luscious green that you’d expect from Ireland, before exploring the flora I wanted to quickly make my way to the Blarney Stone before there was too many people who would be kissing it prior to myself. I wanted to swap spit with the least amount of people possible, unless, the line was filled with Bradley Cooper clones.

I would bend the sanitation rules for hot celebrities.

We rapidly made our way to the steep, narrow and slippery steps. When we got to the top there were only about a dozen people waiting in line for their opportunity to lay their lips on the stone. Perfect. I will only be exchanging germs with a limited few. Even so, I applied a thick covering of chapstick prior to my peck hoping that the waxy coverage would be a layer of germ protection.

They do not sanitize the Blarney Stone in-between smooches.


The Line to Kiss the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle in Ireland

In the past, visitors had to be hung by the ankles, over the edge, in order to kiss the Stone. Today it is a much safer and less frightening process. When it was my turn, an attendant instructed me to lay on my back, grab the two bars behind my head, bend backwards and kiss the exact spot where he pointed. 

The same spot millions of others had kissed before me.

It took approximately 20 seconds.


Annette White Kissing the Blarney Stone in Ireland

Annette White Kissing the Blarney Stone in Ireland

The real question was would my germaphobic husband kiss it, he doesn’t even touch the handrails at the local mall. 

He took a pass. Big surprise.

Instead, I delegated him the official photographer. I needed proof that this kiss actually happened. Unfortunately, the Blarney Castles’ professional photographer had the best (an just about only) angle for pictures. At the bottom the staff will then sell you these photos for 10 Euros a pop. I bought two.

Though the smooching process was brief, we spent a couple hours afterwards exploring the bright green grounds. 

We started with a stroll through the Poison Garden that contains a collection of poisonous plants from around the world. Then walked along the grass, smelling the daffodils along the way, until we reached the Blarney House, a Scottish Baronial mansion.

Though the house was closed on this day, I couldn’t help but fantasize about life in such a lovely place. I could even see myself spending time there now looking out of one of the third story windows, drinking a cocktail and writing this travel blog.


Truth be told, I woke up with a head cold the very next day. I am not saying it was from smooching the stone, but I’m not saying it wasn’t either.

Blarney Castle | Blarney, Co. Cork, Ireland | Website | Map

Traveling Soon? Use my Favorite Resources for Booking Your Trip!

Book Your Flight
Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine, because it checks dozens of airlines so you can easily find the best fare deals. You can also select ‘cheapest month’ to find the lowest fares for your destination (I use this all the time!).

Book Your Accommodations
I use both Booking.com and Expedia for hotels, because each offers a couple different hotel choices and I like to compare the reviews on each one. If you have a group or are looking for more of a home atmosphere, head over to VRBO or AirBNB that has houses, apartments and even just a room for rent in every price range. 

Book Your Rental Car
If love the freedom to explore like I do, driving from place to place is the best option! I always book with Discover Cars for the best prices and top brand options.

Book Some Fun Tours!
Viator and Get Your Guide are my go-to search engines for cool bucket list experiences! Each one can have different tours, so check both—why limit yourself, right?

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel can be unpredictable. Whether it’s a last-minute cancellation, an injury, or (ugh) theft, things happen. That’s why I recommend never leaving the country without travel insurance. Here are my faves: Safety Wing and World Nomads.

Get Packing & Travel Essentials Ready
Check out the Bucket List Journey Amazon Store to find all my favorite travel essentials. Everything from Packing cubes, to travel adapters and toiletry containers to walking shoes.

*Lastly, check travel.state.gov for visa requirements and safety information.


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