Animal, Nature, and Travel: Some Views near Blarney Castle in Cork, Ireland

On the way to visit Blarney Castle in Cork, Ireland, here are some views. The June 2019 visit to the actual castle itself never happened as it was going to take 2 hours before we could get inside. We elected to see other parts of Cork, Ireland instead.

Photos along the way to Blarney Castle and the Grounds outside Blarney Castle

You may have heard the expression about "Kissing the Blarney Stone" so as to achieve your wish, I only have a photo of a photo of that. Nevertheless, we saw some pretty views along the way.

This is a mini-castle we saw on the side of the road. A man actual lives inside. According to our wonderful taxi driver, John McCarthy, the owner has this castle on the market. I wonder if he will achieve his goal of selling it?

Check out these pretty views in the town near Blarney Castle:

Welcome to Blarney Castle and Gardens. That is Maddy Marchant posing in front of the sign:

"Welcome to Blarney Castle & Gardens:
Renowned for bestowing the Gift of Eloquence
on all those who kiss the Blarney Stone."

"Built nearly 600 years ago by one of Ireland's greatest chieftains.

As we stood in line to pay the admittance fee, we found out that it was a minimum of a two-hour wait to get in. Since we had to re-board our cruise ship late that afternoon, we did not have the time to wait. We wandered around the grounds instead.

We saw this statue: Bust of John C. Kelleher, Blarney Woolen Mills. He was the founder of Blarney Woolen Mills.

As my two best friends visited the gift shop, I enjoyed watching bees fly around flowers and these ravens.

I also enjoyed seeing this statue as we drove away:

Call it sour grapes or a blessing of the Universe, but we later learned that not long before, an American tourist (in very good shape and health) experienced a bad fall on the slipper steps of Blarney Castle. He had to be air-lifted out and had a six-month recovery period from broken bones.

Given that I was still wearing the brace from a healing-nicely shattered wrist (on April 11, 2019), I was grateful to be spared a similar fate.

My current manta is:

Be mindful - not fearful!