Blarney Castle has become synonymous with Ireland, and it is a headlining tourist attraction. Blarney Castle’s origins were much more humble. It started as a hunting lodge made of timber. This simple structure was built in the 10th century and was eventually replaced by a proper stone castle by 1210.

The castle as it is known and seen in present Ireland was the result of the efforts of Dermot McCarthy, The King of Munster, back in 1446. It remained the McCarthy Family’s ancestral stronghold until the arrival of Oliver Cromwell 200 years later. During the siege, Cromwell attacked the castle with cannons.

The saga continued 15 years later, when the McCarthys regained control with the help of King Charles II. At one point, the Earl of Leicester was sent by Queen Elizabeth I to take control of Blarney Castle. But every time he tried to open negotiations for the transfer of control, McCarthy would suggest having a banquet or think of other means of delaying any serious discussions about the castle.

When the Queen asked for a report on the progress of the mission, the Earl sent a long letter reporting everything, but at the end revealed that the castle has remained untaken. Queen Elizabeth was so annoyed at the lack of developments, that she was supposed to have quipped that the Earl’s report was ‘a lot of Blarney’. The word eventually caught on to mean ‘smooth, flattering talk.’ After the Battle of Boyne in 1690, the McCarthys again lost control of Blarney Castle when it was decreed that all Irish chiefs be stripped of their powers. The castle was sold to Sir James Jeffryes, the governor of Cork, in 1703.

At present, the Trustees of the Blarney Castle Estate own and manage the estate. Blarney Castle is a ideal place to stop for those enjoying a Cork Airport rental car with Car Hire.ie. For more information about this and other attractions in County Cork, consult with a Europcar associate when picking up your Ireland rental car.