Yup.  We did it.

I know that Blarney castle may seem to be the ultimate tourist trap – but a trip there is genuinely worth it.

The grounds are VERY extensive, and beautifully laid out.  One of the nice touches is that as you travel, you will be met with bits of art planted at random (I think) spots around the territory.

The castle and grounds website is here.

In addition to the castle and grounds, there is also Blarney House which, while we didn’t get into, is open to the public on a limited basis.

Children under 8 are free.  We paid €12 per adult, and you can spend all day on the grounds.  We could have done with 2 days, to be honest, and only scratched the surface of what the territory has to offer.

I did have one gripe – while there are cafes on site, I didn’t like the menu, and we left to get lunch at Blarney Wollen Mills.