Endless attractions and ancient customs deeply woven into the fabric of Ireland are what make this awesome motor route among the finest in the world. Included in its multitude of profoundly rooted traditions is the ceremonial kissing of the country’s famous Blarney Stone. The legendary stone is built into the highest battlements of ancient Blarney Castle in County Cork, the southern anchor of the 1,600-mile-long Wild Atlantic Way trail. Like millions of others annually drawn to this distinctively magical island and its stunning west coast drive, my bucket list there included participating in the age-old Irish custom of kissing its famous stone. At Blarney Castle, I did what legions of others before me had done. I planted a kiss on the legendary rock, a ritual said to bestow a special “gift of the gab” on those who participate. I should point out that kissing the stone fixed atop one of the castle’s walls is not as simple as one might think. It requires lying on your back on a steep rock ledge situated over an open drop – 90 feet to the ground. For safety, there are iron handrails for gripping and attendants are on hand to assist. While the stone’s origins are unclear, it was added to the castle’s battlements in 1446 – yet the tradition of kissing it did not begin until the late 1700s. Since then, there have been millions like me who have kissed the ancient piece of Carboniferous limestone proving that something as simple as a block of rock can become a popular tourist attraction. The Blarney Stone, however, is a mere part of what Ireland and its Wild Atlantic Way have to offer. The route’s ribbon of landscape and rugged Atlantic coastline between the southern county of Cork and the northern county of Donegal is one of the most dramatic, stunningly beautiful and simply spectacular stretches of land and seacoast on the planet. The route overall embodies the wonders of nature and more: towering cliffs, spellbinding bays and beaches, enchanting villages, charming towns, ancient monuments and some of the richest archeological sites in Europe. Then, too, there is the ever-present Irish hospitality. The entire route can feasibly be driven in less than five hours, but so much of what it has to offer would be sorely missed. The typical visitor drives the route in stages, while others focus primarily on a particular section. No matter how the Wild Atlantic Way is explored, it is regularly regaled as the trip of a lifetime. The following is a small selection of the route’s bountiful highlights. IRELAND’S WILD ATLANTIC WAY The Emerald Isle’s famous west coast drive delivers all that’s uniquely special about the land of green. By Donna Carter 16 | www.snowbirds.org Travel
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