‘Brand Blarney’ is a voluntary organization whose primary focus is to facilitate the larger Blarney community to contribute to an already established tourist attraction in a manner that enhances Blarney’s status as a global brand and boosts the local economy.
Aims & Objectives:
- Further enhance the ‘Blarney Experience’ for locals and tourists alike.
- Provide tourists with a memorable Blarney experience and a real taste of Ireland.
- Encourage visitors to spend more time within the village and locality.
Vision:
- To Establish Blarney as the Global Hub for Eloquence, Communication and Storytelling.
It’s not every village that can claim its place in a dictionary but Blarney certainly can!
…It is said that those who kiss the Blarney stone will receive the gift of eloquence… all thanks to our brave Chieftain MacCarthy then owner of Blarney castle who upon being pressurised by Queen Elizabeth 1 to pledge allegiance to the crown, managed to circumvent her demands with flattery and eloquence forcing her to eventually protest in frustration,
“Odds bodkins, more Blarney talk. What he says he never means!”
…And thus it was that a new phrase entered the English language and ‘blarney’ meaning ‘flattering or persuasive speech’ entered the Oxford dictionary.
Therefore, our visitors can rest assured that they have indeed set foot in the most eloquent village in the world!
Our story so far ……
In 2017 in conjunction with the Blarney and District Historical Society and Cork County Council we launched a Blarney heritage map. Visitors can find a copy of the map at hotels within Blarney and can explore Blarneys fascinating ‘Heritage Trail’. In 2018 we launched our www.aloadofblarney.com website to facilitate tourists, businesses and residents and launched a web version of the Heritage Trail to enhance our visitor experience. Enjoy and explore all of what the village has to offer.
In Ireland we are proud of our history and culture and in 2017 we celebrated our local heritage with a re-enactment of local folk-lore. See photos here.
In 2018 Brand Blarney brought Cork Culture Night to Blarney, re-enacting more scenes from Blarney’s history around the village square. For this Brand Blarney was awarded the Cork County Mayor’s Community Award for 2019.
Our Team:
Deborah Maguire
Sue Pamment
Noreen O’Connell
Grainne McSweeney
Ed Healy
Derval Glavin
Mary Walsh
Martina Horgan
Fionnuala Carroll
