Blarney
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Blarney an Bhlarna
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| Town and townland | |
The countryside around Blarney
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 Blarney
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| Coordinates: 51°55′59″N 8°34′5″W / 51.93306°N 8.56806°W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Munster |
| County | County Cork |
| Elevation | 55 m (180 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 5,310 |
| Irish Grid Reference | W610759 |
Blarney (Irish: an Bhlarna, meaning "the little field") is a town and townland in County Cork, Ireland. It lies 8 km (5.0 mi) north-west of Cork and is famed as the site of Blarney Castle, home of the legendary Blarney Stone.
Blarney town is a major tourist attraction in County Cork. Mostly people come to see the castle, kiss the stone, and to shop at the Blarney Woolen Mills.
By kissing the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle, it is claimed that one can receive the "Gift of the Gab" (eloquence, or skill at flattery or persuasion). The legend has several suggested roots, involving members of the MacCarthy dynasty – builders and original owners of Blarney Castle.
Built in 1823, Blarney Woollen Mills was originally known as Mahony's Mills. It was a water powered mill, producing mainly tweeds and woollens. After closing in the early 1970s, the mills was re-invented by local entrepreneur Christy Kelleher as a gift store servicing tourists visiting the village.
The centre of the village is dominated by The Square, a grass field where Blarney locals and townspeople sometimes congregate during the summer.
Several attempts to develop the square, over the years, have always been met with stiff objection from the locals. Previously, the square was used for markets.
Blarney formerly had its own narrow gauge railway station. The Cork and Muskerry Light Railway linked Blarney (CMLR) railway station with Cork; it opened in 1887 but closed on 29 December 1934. As of 2016, the Blarney railway station (originally due for service some years previously on the Dublin-Cork railway line) remains in the planning and development stage.
The town is served by a number of Bus Éireann services, including the number 215 bus every half an hour from Mahon Point via Cork city centre and the number 235 bus from Cork city at a lesser frequency.
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Wikipedia