Blarney Castle , as viewed by the visitor today, is the third to have been erected on this site. The first building in the tenth century was a wooden structure. Around 1210 A.D. this was replaced by a stone structure which had the entrance some twenty feet above the ground on the north face. This building was demolished for foundations. In 1446 the third castle was built by Dermot McCarthy, King of Munster of which still remains standing.

Blarney Castle is famous for its stone, which is traditionally believed to have the power to bestow eloquence on all those who kiss it. The term " Blarney" was introduced into the English language by Elizabeth 1 of England and is defined as "pleasant talk, intending to deceive without offending". The stone itself is set in the wall below the battlements and to kiss it, one has to lean backwards (holding on to an iron railing) from the parapet walk. The stone was reputed to have been that mentioned in the Bible as "Jacob's Pillow" and was supposed to have been brought to Ireland by Jeremiah the Prophet.