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Our next stop was to be Kinsale about a two hour drive from Ballyvolane but we wanted to take a wee bit of a diversion to see the Blarney Castle as Grammy and Pop Pop had visited it many years ago the latter of whom had kissed the Blarney stone, setting the bar for all who were to follow. It was a beautiful day when we arrived with the sky a deep blue and the fluffiest white clouds passing by ever so slowly. I had pretty much expected a castle off side the road that commanded a perfunctory stop but without much other appeal. WRONG! A beautiful park setting awaited us complete with a bubbling creek, flowers and endless grounds to explore. The castle itself was very well preserved but the journey to the top was not for the faint of heart. Well over a hundred steps came in the form of a tightly winding stone staircase built into the dark core of the castle. There were many parts that had such tiny steps that one had to be very cautious to balance before advancing to the next step. Once you start there is no turning back so off we treked, five of us in a row, some standing upright, others bent over. The reward at the top was a fantastic panoramic view of the countryside and a couple wee Irishmen to assist in bending you over for the smooch. We were an interesting lot with a variety of perspectives on to kiss or not to kiss. The decision for Emily was made without hesitation...if her grandfather had done it , she would do it. Let's just say that others kissed with their hearts and not with their lips!
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