Blarney Stone

Kissing the Blarney Stone Stretched Canvas Poster Print, 30x40

Amazon Price: (as of 02/16/2012)

Go ahead, plant that big kiss right on your wall.

The Little Green Book of Blarney-The Importance of Being Irish (Little Black Books (Peter Pauper Paperback))

by: Ruth Cullen

Amazon Price: $5.58 (as of 02/16/2012)

Spiral-bound: 160 pages
Publisher: Peter Pauper Press (February 28, 2008)

Blarney Castle: Its History, Development and Purpose

by: Mark Samuel, Kate Hamlyn

Amazon Price: $30.32 (as of 02/16/2012)

Blarney Castle in County Cork is one of Ireland's oldest and most historic castles, an ancient stronghold of the McCarthys, Lords of Muskerry, and one of the strongest fortresses in Munster. It is also one of Irelands biggest tourist attractionsover 300,000 people visit Blarney Castle each year.

This new book sets the castle in a wider context which includes aspects of social, architectural and local history with particular focus on County Cork, including the history of the area around Blarney, the Gaelic society which built the castle, the function of the castle and the gradual development of the property from a well-defended family seat to a major tourist attraction. At the same time it sets the castle within a wider context of national history and events. Since the site controlled a natural route to Cork City and was at the very edge of English Rule in Ireland, there is a relative wealth of extant documentation. Thus the book uses the evidence of both the building itself and of historical material to interpret the castle.

Ireland (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

by: Tim Perry

Amazon Price: $9.00 (as of 02/16/2012)

This compact, handsomely illustrated guide to Ireland opens with a general overview of the island's history and culture. The tour of the country begins in Dublin, then circles south and west, ending up in Belfast. At the back of the book are sections on lodging, food, shopping, and other practical information. It is similar in style, content, and price to Knopf Guides: Ireland, published in July 1995. Eyewitness Travel Guides claim to be "the guides that show what others only tell you." This volume does seem to have slightly more illustrations than the Knopf guide (as well as more hotel and restaurant listings), but its paper cover will not be as durable as Knopf's vinyl cover, and it is a bit heavier to carry. Still, this is a thorough guide that travelers, especially those off-the-beaten track, will find most useful. Recommended for public libraries.