Blarney Castle Tour: Explore Cork, Kinsale, and Cobh

Discover Blarney Castle, explore Cork City, and tour Kinsale on this immersive shore excursion from Cobh. Book your adventure now!

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Cobh - Passengers will be collected in style from their Cruise Ship. Upon disembarkation, turn right, and the guide will be waiting near the pedestrian exit gate. Collection is at 07:30 for an 08:00 departure. If the ship docks later than 07:30, the tour will start 30 minutes after disembarkation begins. This ensures an early start to avoid the queues at Blarney!
  • Blarney Stone - The first stop is Blarney, home to Ireland’s most famous castle. Visitors can lie back and kiss the magical Blarney Stone to receive the gift of eloquence. Admission is included, saving 15 euros. Admission to Blarney Castle is included, unlike other tours that require queuing and paying at the gate. There will also be time to visit the renowned Blarney Woolen Mills, the largest Irish store in the world, offering tax-free shopping on quality Irish products.
  • The English Market - After Blarney, the tour continues with a panoramic drive through Cork City, showcasing highlights such as the River Lee, St Finbarre’s Cathedral, Shandon Bells, English Market, and Grand Parade. Cork was recently named one of the top 10 must-see cities in the world by Lonely Planet. Notable figures from Cork include Henry Ford, Michael Collins, and footballer Roy Keane.
  • Charles Fort - The journey proceeds through the scenic Cork Countryside to the charming town of Kinsale. Enjoy views of the rolling fields of West Cork and a stop overlooking picturesque Kinsale Harbor and its two forts, Charles Fort and James Fort. The Lusitania tragically sank off the Old Head of Kinsale in 1915.
  • Kinsale - The next stop is the historic town of Kinsale, known for the Battle of Kinsale in 1601. Today, it is Ireland’s gourmet capital, featuring winding streets, great pubs, and fine restaurants. On standard 8-hour tours, there is a lunch stop in Kinsale, but this is at the driver’s discretion depending on the ship’s departure time. The town is beautifully situated at the harbor’s mouth, with colorful postcard-like buildings and locals with unique accents.
  • Cobh Cathedral - If time permits, there will be an exploration of Cobh Cathedral.
  • Port of Cobh - The tour departs Kinsale to ensure passengers are back at least 1 hour before the ship’s departure. The service concludes at the dockside after approximately 8 hours. If the ship departs earlier, the itinerary will be adjusted accordingly.
What's Included
  • On-board WiFi
  • Driver/guide
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • Port pickup and drop-off
  • Live commentary on board
  • Blarney Castle and Gardens Entry Fee included
  • Back at port 1 hour before last boarding
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Lunch
Additional Information

The journey starts with a pickup from the cruise liner terminal in Cobh, Cork Harbour, your chauffeur will be there to escort you to the Blarney Castle. The entry fee for the Blarney Castle and Gardens is covered. Enjoy a scenic drive through Cork City, as your guide identifies the notable sights of the southern capital. An afternoon trip to Kinsale and a tour around Cobh await.

  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Booster/Baby seats required, and available. Please advise if you require at booking.
  • Collapsible scooters and wheelchairs can be stored under coach. Responsibility for the passenger for the day.
Location
Port of Cobh
Cobh (Cork) Cruise Ship Terminal - We collect passengers from the cruise ship at 07:30 for departure @ 08:00. If your ship docks later than 07:30, don't worry! The tour will begin 30 minutes after disembarkation commences.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.3
(386 Ratings)
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Katherine
Aug 1, 2024
Amazing time!! 11 people touring 6 cities! - We had a large group of 11 and Dan was our driver. We had absolutely the most amazing time. We had a pretty intensive tour of eight days. Most of Southern Ireland was covered. We had an unfortunate tragedy occur where our friend and tour guide passed away a week before we were supposed to go. Dan picked up all the loose ends and did an unbelievably amazing and impressive job of giving us the vacation of our dreams. Not only was Dan patient, answered all of our questions and helped us with everything we needed. He showed and explained to us all the beautiful cultural aspects of Ireland by his amazing storytelling. Thank you Dan for everything! I cannot recommend highly enough using this company for your tours. The van was always air-conditioned, had Wi-Fi and was very accommodating with stops. The van was also extremely clean and had plenty of room for 11 adults to sit comfortably.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Go66803848811
Jul 31, 2024
Great tour for a one day visit - The bus was waiting at the port and checking in with our guide/driver, Kevin, was easy. He took us directly to Blarney Castle to get us there before there was a queue to get in. Plenty of time to walk around the grounds and up to the Blarney Stone. We then went to Kinsdale, where we also had sufficient time. Kevin was very knowledgeable about Ireland in general and provided us with a lot of information. We got two extra little drive-by tours of Cobh and Cork. We arrived back at the port with plenty of time to return to the ship. I thought Kevin was great!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Patricia_m
Jul 31, 2024
Blarney Castle Tour - Kevin, our tour guide was awesome! He picked us up and returned us when he said. He made the trip interesting and fun. We were the first group to the castle. Thanks!
Review provided by Viator
Daniel_m
Jul 31, 2024
Very pleasant experience - Kevin was a great guide. Met us at the gate and got us to the Blarney Castle ahead of all the other tours. No waiting.
Review provided by Viator
Emily_w
Jul 31, 2024
Handicap friendly for the most part. - We enjoyed this excursion the best. Our driver Brian was very knowledgeable and very likable. We stopped at a town on the way back from the castle and ate at Dino’s. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was just as good. I would highly recommend booking this tour. Although I couldn’t go into the castle due to mobility issues it was still so worth it.
Review provided by Viator
Akh1000
Jul 30, 2024
Excellent Tour go Blarney Castle & Kinsale - Brian, our driver & guide was excellent. He was fast to get us to the Blarney Castle. His stories & humor were entertaining & made the journey fun. The time at Blarney Castle was adequate as well as the time in Kinsale. Kinsale is a very colorful & charming town. I would highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
John_l
Jul 30, 2024
A Nice Day in Ireland. - Our driver and guide was excellent. The landscape around Blarney castle was peaceful and restful. Even though I was not able to walk much, I enjoyed sitting by the creek, and looking at the castle while my husband explored more short trails around the castle. Kinsale was a nice place to stop also. The tour gave us a chance to experience Ireland in a day with a drive through Cork and Cobh also!
Review provided by Viator
Mishabrn
Jul 30, 2024
Good shore excursion by reasonable (almost) price - The excursion was good and well organized. Our guide/driver was very nice and knowledgeable guy. He took care of us very well.
Review provided by Viator
Deborah_s
Jul 29, 2024
More than just a bus ride to the Blarney Stone! - Great tour guide, (Bryan) kept us entertained while enroute filling in interesting local trivia and history. Very enjoyable day!
Review provided by Viator
Jennifer_p
Jul 29, 2024
Bryan is very informative and funny - Bryan was great, he was very informative. He also got us into Blarney castle 1st so we were able to kiss the stone with very little waiting.
Review provided by Viator
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September 2024
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