Set in stone in grounds of Blarney Castle

There’s more to Blarney Castle than kissing the famous stone. The 100-acre gardens have been home to large sculptures since 2012. ‘Sculpture at the Castle’ is one of the largest outdoor sculpture trails in Ireland. This year, it will be launched by the director of the Crawford Art Gallery, Peter Murray, on June 13.

With 300,000 visitors annually to the castle, from home and abroad, the trail is a showcase of contemporary Irish sculpture scattered throughout the formal gardens, natural features and waterways. The permanent sculpture trail includes work by Eamonn Ceannt, Kathleen Standen and Peter Koning. These works are joined, every summer, by works from artists around Ireland.

‘Sculpture at the Castle’ is the brainchild of potter Helen Daly, who works part-time at the Blarney Castle shop and makes her own ceramic ware. “I work with Charles Colthurst, the owner of the castle. I suggested the idea to Charles and we both worked on it with the help of artist Kate Hegarty, and the 10 or 12 full-time gardeners that work in the grounds.”