Kiss and tell at Blarney Castle

It takes nerve to lean backwards off the top of a castle and kiss a stone. But SARAH GRAHAM lived to tell the tale when she joined the queue at Blarney.

The gift of the gab. Eternal eloquence. The ability to "talk the hind legs off a donkey".

These are all descriptions of the power that will be bestowed on anyone with the nerve to lie down, grasp an iron railing, lean backwards off the top of a castle and kiss a rock.

Situated 8km from the city of Cork, the historic Blarney Castle is most famous for a stone set into its upper walls. Every year, thousands of tourists line up to contort themselves over the gap between the parapet walk and battlements to kiss the stone that legend says was the infamous "Jacob's Pillow" mentioned in the Bible.

Built in 1446, the castle was home to several Kings of Munster. There are numerous stories about how the famous stone made it to Ireland and into the upper walls of this castle.

One of the more popular states that in 1314, one of the Kings supplied men to help Robert the Bruce against the English in the Battle of Bannockburn. As a gesture of gratitude, the Scottish King gave his Irish comrade the stone to be incorporated into the battlements of the castle.

The word "Blarney" is said to have originated with Queen Elizabeth I, who used it to describe "pleasant talk, intended to deceive without offending".

On the day we arrived at Blarney Castle, a wedding was taking place on the front lawn. The place would certainly make for incredible wedding photos - the castle grounds have a magical feel to them. Pity that it was cloudy that day - granted it's often like that in Ireland and maybe people are used to having grey skies as the background to their photos.

As with most castles in this part of the world, regardless of the state of the rest of the building, the main entrance to Blarney Castle is wonderfully restored. It is probably safe to assume that this was done for the sake of the friendly folk who take your money at the front desk and gift shop. Entrance to the castle is €5.50 ($11) for adults and €2 ($4) for children.

As the famous stone is set into one of the walls at the top of the castle, you have to work your way up to reach it. The castle is no longer habitable, so your trek through various rooms and stairwells feels more like an archeological trip than a stroll through the former home of kings.

The parts of the castle that were once made of wood have long since become a part of history, so only those parts that were made of stone remain.

Your route to the top is via stairwells that are narrow and spiralled, with numerous offshoots where you find dark and empty stone rooms. Thankfully there are plaques describing how these rooms were once used and with some imagination you can visualise what might have filled the "Priest's Room" or the "Young Ladies' Room."

My favourite was the "Murder Hole", just off the Great Hall - the Kings of Munster evidently weren't tolerant.

When you reach the roof of Blarney Castle, the path you follow is the stone walkway that was patrolled by guards. The centre of the roof clearly was once made of wood, because now it is a large, gaping hole that offers you a bird's-eye view of the Great Hall.

At this level you will find a friendly employee ready to instruct you on the proper way to kiss the Blarney Stone. With flashbacks to the "Murder Hole," it is unnerving to lean back over the gaping space between the walkway and wall.

Only a few pitiful iron bars interrupt the view to the ground. The friendly employee grabs your legs as you reach back for a pair of iron rails on either side of the stone. Arching your back to the point where your head actually reaches below the level of your hips - constantly aware of the deathly large distance between you and the ground - you move in to kiss the slimy and darkened spot on the wall that thousands of lips have touched before you.

On the bright side, your travelling companion will find it amusing to watch as you squawk and wriggle, trying to position yourself to kiss the rock in the correct place and not obscure the "Kissing the Blarney Stone" sign below you - provided for the inevitable photographic evidence you will require of this momentous event.

One distinguishing commercial opportunity you will only find at this castle is the sale of certificates, signed by the "Keeper of the Castle", officially stating that you have kissed the Blarney Stone and been bestowed with the gift of eloquence.

I'm all for cheesy souvenirs like this, but I was a bit disappointed that I had to fill in all the blanks (name, date etc) myself. It takes a bit of the fun out of it the minute you deface it with your own familiar scrawl.

Blarney Castle

Irish Tourist Board