Great Value

Blarney Golf Resort

Blarney, Co. Cork · Designed by John Daly & Steve Marnoch (2006)

The MacCarthy clan built the first stone castle at Blarney around 1210; the current tower house was erected in 1446 by Cormac Láidir MacCarthy, Lord of Muskerry, chief of the MacCarthy clan of Muskerry. The Blarney Stone set into its parapet became embedded in English through Queen Elizabeth I's frustrated dealings with Cormac MacDermot MacCarthy, who used such eloquent, circuitous speech to deflect her land demands that she reportedly said: "This is all Blarney — what he says, he never means." The word entered the language. The estate later passed through the Jefferyes and Colthurst families; the current Blarney House was designed by John Lanyon in 1874 in Scottish Baronial style, and the Colthurst family still occupies it today. The golf resort sits in the wooded Shournagh Valley eight kilometres north-west of Cork city, within sight of the castle tower.

John Daly — winner of the 1991 US PGA Championship and the 1995 Open Championship at St Andrews — designed Blarney as his only European course, visiting the site four times before the official opening in July 2006. The architect was Steve Marnoch, a landscape-trained designer who shaped the fairway corridors through the heavily wooded valley with a light touch; the course feels grown-in rather than built. The layout plays to par 70 at 6,378 yards with a slope of 125 — accessible rather than punishing, but with Daly's design DNA visible throughout. The signature hole is the 13th: a 601-yard par 5 demanding the tee shot favour the left throughout, with trouble lining the entire right side.

Blarney Castle (five minutes from the resort) is one of Ireland's most-visited sites — the Poison Garden alone, with wolfsbane, mandrake, and opium poppies labelled and explained, is worth an hour. Cork city (25 minutes) has the English Market, one of Europe's oldest covered food markets dating from 1788: artisan cheese, fresh fish, and excellent café food.

Holes worth knowing

113th (par-5, 601 yards) — the definitive John Daly hole: a 601-yard test demanding the tee shot favour the left throughout, with trouble lining the entire right side. Reviewers call it "a savage par 5" with Daly's signature written all over it.

Highlights

John Daly's only European design — Daly visited the site four times before the 2006 opening
13th hole: 601-yard par 5 with Daly's power-golf DNA, trouble along the entire right side
5 minutes from Blarney Castle (1446) and the famous stone; 25 minutes from Cork city
Shournagh Valley woodland setting on 164 acres — naturalistic, not resort-manicured
Par 70, slope 125: plays to its yardage, accessible to all levels

Good to know

→Blarney Castle is 5 minutes from the resort and worth visiting. Beyond the famous stone, the Poison Garden (wolfsbane, mandrake, opium poppies, cannabis) is genuinely interesting, and the grounds include a Druid's Circle and Witch's Cave. Allow 1.5–2 hours.
→Cork English Market (25 minutes, city centre) is one of Europe's oldest covered food markets (1788) — strong for lunch: artisan cheeses, fresh fish, and Iago's at the Spanish Market end. Open Monday–Saturday.
→Visitor tee times are not available 7:30–11:30am on Saturdays and Sundays (member priority). Book weekday mornings for the most flexibility and best value (€35 vs €45 weekends).

Visitor Information

Getting There

20min drive

Common questions

What is Blarney Golf Resort like?

Blarney Golf Resort is a parkland course near the village of Blarney in Co. Cork — best known for its proximity to Blarney Castle and the famous Blarney Stone. The course is a comfortable eighteen-hole parkland layout suited to golfers combining golf with the wider Cork city visit. It is not at the level of Fota Island, but it is a well-maintained, friendly venue at a reasonable price.

Should I play Blarney or Fota Island?

For golfers whose primary purpose is golf, Fota Island is the stronger course and a former Irish Open host. Blarney suits golfers combining golf with Blarney Castle, who want a course near Cork city without the east-harbour drive to Fota. Cork Airport is twenty minutes from both.

How do I book Blarney Golf Resort?

Blarney books through GolfNow with reliable availability.

Is Blarney Castle worth visiting alongside golf?

Blarney Castle is one of Ireland's most visited historic sites — the castle ruins and the grounds are genuinely good, though queues to kiss the Blarney Stone in summer can be long. The Rock Close gardens within the castle grounds are exceptional. The village itself is pleasant. Combined with a morning round at the golf resort, it makes a complete Cork day.