Blarney Castle is a medieval stronghold in Blarney, near Cork, Ireland. The castle originally dates from before 1200, when a timber house was believed to have been built on the site, although no evidence remains of this. Around 1210 this was replaced by a stone fortification. This was destroyed in 1446, but subsequently rebuilt. The Blarney Stone is a block of limestone built into the battlements of Blarney Castle. According to legend, kissing the stone endows the kisser with the ‘gift of the gab’ (great eloquence, clever, or flattering talk).