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Day 9
On the way, stop for a visit to Blarney Castle, where a 129-step staircase leads up a tower to the famed Blarney Stone. According to legend, anyone who manages the backward lean to kiss it receives the 'gift of the gab' - a smooth, soothing way with words that at best mean nothing. The word "blarney" was coined by Elizabeth I to describe her endless and fruitless discussions with Dermot McCarthy over his surrender of the castle to the Crown. The McCarthys built the present castle with its 85-foot-high keep in 1446, replacing an earlier castle. Though the Blarney Stone gets all the publicity, the castle's tower house and surrounding gardens are superb in their own right. The castle's grounds also include caves, dungeons, and a rock garden of ancient trees and weathered stones. After your tour, youll set off for an exclusive Discovery Series event at a working sheep farm, where you'll chat with the owner about rural life, and get a chance to see Ireland's finest border collies in action. Please note: This is an outdoor event and is weather-dependent. It will not be conducted in wet, muddy conditions. Then, continue your transfer to Killarney, arriving in the afternoon in time for an independent lunch. This evening, enjoy an exclusive Discovery Series discussion with a local resident on rural Irish life and growing up on a small farm in the 1950s. Dinner is included at your hotel tonight.
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner |
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8/11/19 |
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Cork Blarney Castle
After breakfast this morning, bid Cork farewell and begin your transfer to Killarney.