Source: Blarney Castle website
WATCH your back Killarney – Blarney is on your case.
The traditional Kerry v Cork rivalry on the football field could be replicated in the tourism trade as the Cork visitor hotspot is looking enviously across the county bounds and wants a slice of bustling Killarney’s action.
A Rebel County politician passionately believes that Blarney has the potential to rival Killarney as a major tourist destination and he wants City Hall to seek funding from the government for a year-round base to promote the picturesque village.
The tourist office had been run by volunteers after it had been had previously been closed by Bord Fáilte but a decision was taken to end the service last year.
Cllr Kenneth O’Flynn has pointed out that the 15th century Blarney Castle was the 12th most visited fee-charging attraction in the country in 2017, attracting 450,000 sightseers to the village with a population of just over 2,500.
Tourists arrive in their thousands to kiss the Blarney Stone but they tend to move on without staying overnight and instead they head for busier towns like Killarney.
And while it might have been giving them the gift of the gab, it isn’t persuading them to linger overnight.
Cllr Flynn insists, however, that the area could rival Killarney as a top tourist destination in the south.
“I believe that if we had a tourist office to attract people to Blarney and encourage them to stay in the village more rather than coming in on the tour bus, kissing the stone, buying a bit of crystal and then out again, it would help grow tourism,” Cllr O’Flynn is quoted as saying.
© KillarneyToday.com is the 24/7 online news service provided by O’Mahony Media
Advertise to grow your business: Over 310,000 views every month. Over 21,000 followers on Facebook. Call 087-2229761
