6:50 am: DEPART COLLEGE GREEN
The Blarney Castle Tour meeting location is at the Molly Malone statue on Suffolk Street (location map is linked on the booking page), you will be greeted by a member of staff who will bring you to the bus.
The tour departs at 06:50 am sharp.
(Please Arrive 15 minutes before Departure time)
9:15 AM: ROCK OF CASHEL
Set on a dramatic outcrop of limestone in the Golden Vale, The Rock of Cashel, iconic in its historic significance, possesses the most impressive cluster of medieval buildings in Ireland. Among the monuments to be found there is a round tower, a high cross, a Romanesque chapel, a Gothic cathedral, an abbey, the Hall of the Vicars Choral and a fifteenth-century Tower House.
Originally the seat of the kings of Munster, according to legend St. Patrick himself came here to convert King Aenghus to Christianity. Brian Boru the last King of Ireland was crowned High King at Cashel in 978 and made it his capital.
11:30 AM: KISS THE STONE AT BLARNEY CASTLE
Nestled away in the County Cork countryside, just outside the city, is the majestic Blarney Castle. One of the most famous castles on the island, Blarney is a romantic partial ruin built nearly 600 years ago by the great chieftain Cormac MacCarthy.
Of course, most people who come to Blarney are here for one reason – to kiss the legendary Blarney Stone and hope its magical properties will grant them the gift of eloquence and persuasion, or, in simpler terms… “the gift of the gab”.
While much of the structure is in ruins, there is no lack of things to see here. Beneath the main structure lies a labyrinth of underground passages, built throughout the Middle Ages. Most of them are inaccessible but you can still visit the chilling dungeon.
There is a range of walks you can take, explore the Fern Garden, with its limestone cliff that overlooks more than 80 types of ferns; make a wish on the famous Wishing Steps, while listening to the natural music of the nearby waterfall cascading against the rugged terrain; or stroll around poison garden.
3:30 PM: CAHIR CASTLE
Cahir Castle built in 1142, is one of Ireland’s largest and best-preserved castles. It stands proudly on a rocky island on the river Suir.
The castle was completed in the thirteenth century and served as the powerful Butler family's stronghold. So effective was its design that it was believed to be impregnable, but it finally fell to the earl of Essex in 1599 when heavy artillery was used against it for the first time. During the Irish Confederate Wars, it was besieged twice more.
Though besieged at the end of the 16th century, the castle offers a fine example of medieval architecture. One prominent reminder of the siege is still present as a culverin ball remains embedded in the wall of the Northeast Tower.
At the time of building, Cahir Castle was at the cutting edge of defensive castle design and much of the original structure remains. An excellent local guide will bring you on a guided tour of the castle and provide you with a detailed insight into the castle’s long history.
Visitors also flock to the castle because of its role as a film and TV location – it has featured in productions like Excalibur and The Tudors.
7:30 pm: ARRIVE BACK IN DUBLIN
I hope you enjoyed the Blarney Castle tour, please feel free to leave your driver guide a review.
Or why not book another tour with Irish Day tours, City Sightseeing or the Irish Whiskey Museum? You can do this via the QR code or in our Tourism office at College Green, opposite the entrance to Trinity College.
All times are approximate and subject to change based on traffic conditions