Blarney Castle and Gardens have become synonymous with the Blarney Stone and the tradition that anyone who kisses the stone will get the gift of the gab. This new aerial video, created by Aerial Photography Ireland, reminds us that there’s so much more to this beautiful property.

The video, posted on the Blarney Castle and Garden’s Facebook page, has had over 35,000 hits. The amazing drone footage shows the ancient grounds, including rock circles, oak trees and dark woods, wonderful gardens and stunning arboretum.

Breathtaking.

Blarney Castle & Gardens

WOW! This is beautiful! An amazing video of Blarney Castle & Gardens by Aerial Photography Ireland PLEASE SHARE!Discovering Cork Tourism Ireland UTV Ireland Ierland Aer Lingus Blarney Chocolate Factory Paddywagon Day Tours Cork Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind Her.ie CIE Tours International Today FM Cork Opera House Houses, Castles & Gardens of Ireland Wild Atlantic Way BreakingNews.ie Irish Examiner Cork's 96FM Cork Independent Corks RedFM 104-106 Evening Echo Muskerry News Blarney Blog

Posted by Blarney Castle on Monday, September 14, 2015
Now if that doesn’t inspire you to visit we don’t know what would!

The castle itself is a medieval stronghold. Located, on the River Martin, in Cork, the current keep was built by the MacCarthy of Muskerry dynasty in 1446. However, the original castle was built before 1200.

During the Irish Confederate Wars the castle was besieged and then seized in 1646 by parliamentarian forces under Lord Broghill. The castle was later restored to Donough MacCarty, the first Earl of Clancarty.

In the 1690s, during the Williamite War in Ireland, the then fourth Earl of Clancarty was captured and his lands (including Blarney Castle) were confiscated. The castle was then sold and changed hands a number of times before being purchased in the early 1700s by Sir James St. John Jefferyes, then Governor of Cork City.

It was the Jefferyes family who built a mansion near the keep. This house was destroyed by a replacement with the existing baronial mansion, known as Blarney House, in 1874.

Extensive gardens surround the castle. There are paths touring the grounds with signs pointing out the various attractions such as several natural rock formations which have been given fanciful names, such as Druid's Circle, Witch's Cave and the Wishing Steps. The grounds also include a Poison Garden which hosts a number of poisonous plants, including wolfsbane, mandrake, ricin, opium and cannabis. Blarney House, also open to the public, is a Scottish baronial-style mansion that was built on the grounds in 1874.

Have you visited Blarney Castle? Did you pucker up for the famous Blarney Stone? Share your experience in the comment section, below.