Blarney Castle and The Rock of Cashel with Private Chauffeur Tour

About

A private chauffeur-driven day trip from Dublin taking in two of Ireland’s most iconic historic sites - the Rock of Cashel and Blarney Castle - with entrance tickets to both included. The tour runs 8 to 10 hours and is conducted in English, with an experienced guide along for the journey.

The itinerary can be tailored to your preferences, and the team can arrange a dinner reservation in Dublin for the evening when you return.

What’s Included

• English-speaking guide
• Private chauffeur transport
• Entrance to both the Rock of Cashel and Blarney Castle
• Bottled water
• All fees and taxes

What’s Not Included

• Lunch

Itinerary

1. The Rock of Cashel rises from a dramatic limestone outcrop in the Golden Vale, and it’s hard to overstate its significance in Irish history. This is the most impressive collection of medieval buildings in Ireland - a round tower, a high cross, a Romanesque chapel, a Gothic cathedral, an abbey, the Hall of the Vicars Choral, and a 15th-century tower house, all on a single site. Originally the seat of the kings of Munster, legend has it that St. Patrick came here to convert King Aenghus to Christianity. Brian Boru was crowned High King at Cashel in 978 and made it his capital. In 1101 the site passed to the Church, and Cashel quickly became one of the most powerful ecclesiastical centres in the country. Cormac’s Chapel contains the only surviving Romanesque frescoes in Ireland. (60 min)
2. Blarney Castle was built nearly 600 years ago by Cormac MacCarthy, one of Ireland’s great chieftains, and it’s been drawing visitors ever since. The famous Blarney Stone - the Stone of Eloquence - sits at the top of the tower. Kiss it, and the legend says you’ll have the gift of the gab. (120 min)

Good to Know

• This is a private tour, conducted in English
• Prams and strollers are welcome
• Specialised infant seats are available
• Service animals are allowed
• Suitable for all fitness levels
• Public transport options are available near the departure point

Local Tips

At Cashel, walk up to the Rock from the town car park rather than asking your driver to drop you at the base - it only takes five minutes and seeing the walls rise above you on the approach is part of how the place works. If your guide builds in time before the coaches arrive (before 10am is the sweet spot), you’ll have Cormac’s Chapel largely to yourself, which is where the Romanesque frescoes are. Don’t miss the free Hore Abbey ruins in the field below the Rock - a short walk from the car park and usually empty, with direct sight-lines back up to the limestone outcrop.

At Blarney, your guide will be managing the queue for the Stone, but the real gem is the Rock Close behind the castle - a Victorian rock garden with standing stones, the Wishing Steps and the Witch’s Kitchen. It’s quieter than the castle tower and more atmospheric. If lunch is on the schedule, the Barley Stone on the village square handles the post-castle crowd without much fuss.

Since the itinerary is flexible, consider anchoring your Rock of Cashel visit to the morning when the Golden Vale light is still low and the coach parties haven’t arrived, then heading southwest to Blarney for the afternoon. The castle at Blarney stays open until early evening in season, so a late-afternoon arrival sidesteps the midday queue for the Stone.

Nearby on IrelandMe

• Cashel - the Rock, Cormac’s Chapel and its Romanesque frescoes, plus Chez Hans and a Michelin-starred cellar restaurant at Cashel Palace
• Blarney - the castle, the Stone of Eloquence, and the Rock Close gardens, with Cork city eight kilometres south when you’re done