Blackrock Castle, Ireland

Despite the frequent change of rulers, Cork has retained its Irish roots. The city was an active participant in the independence movement in the past. In 1920, the British killed the Lord Mayor of Cork. His successor was arrested and brought to a prison in London where he died on a hunger strike that lasted two and a half months. In December of the same year, the reinforcements from Great Britain burned down the central part of the city in order to scare the IRA activists. The city remained the epicenter of unrest until summer 1921.

Approximately eight kilometers away from Cork, there is a charming village named Blarney. In 1446, Dermot McCarthy ordered to build a castle in this area. A large dungeon, which is 85 feet tall and 18 feet wide, is the base of the castle. The McCarthy family lived in this castle together with their knights. The castle was also home for numerous vassals. The master’s bedroom was on the ground floor, and the second floor was the location of a grand hall and a security room. The scary “room of murderers” was situated nearby. People in this room watched visitors and could pour boiling water on them and kill them with arrows in case of a need.
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