In 2008 the Blarney Stone was in the news thanks to a new book on its home that integrated archaeology, history and legend. Remarkably, this was the first time such an overview of Blarney Castle had ever been attempted. Due to the book’s detailing of the famous stone’s little-known origin, a brief media feeding frenzy occurred. International newspaper reviews hailed this book, written by Dr Mark Samuel and Kate Hamlyn, as authoritative.
The ‘gift of the gab’ is needed for guidebooks, trail apps, information boards and other forms of heritage interpretation. Drawing on decades of research experience, Dr Samuel can provide well-written and in-depth content about historic buildings for these purposes.
Simple curiosity on the part of the owner may be a driver, or the proving or dispelling of old legends about a property such as Blarney Castle. Each site requires a different approach – feel free to ask.