Where is Blarney?
Blarney Castle, and the accompanying village populated with some two thousand souls, are located in County Cork, Ireland, some five miles from Cork City. The area is set in a lovely, wooded countryside and boasts a village square, the Blarney Woollen Mills, golf courses, sports and leisure centers, the Arboretum (woodland walks), Blarney House and Gardens (just south of Blarney Castle and open to the public), as well as the enchanting Blarney Village Collection gift shop. On the grounds of Blarney Castle is the Rock Close, a pre-historic Druid site with ancient trees, remnants of large boulders, rocks, a “dolmen” (tomb), a sacrificial altar and a witches kitchen. Surrounding the close are Japanese bamboo trees, Siberian dogwood and weeping willows with a stream that can be crossed over a small bridge. The “Wishing Steps” are also part of the Rock Close; legend has it if you close your eyes and travel the steps backwards, up and down, your wish will be granted. There is a stone there, T
