This is such a popular place for tourists visiting Ireland, so expect it to be very busy! The “usual” waiting time in line to kiss the Blarney Stone is about 90 minutes to 2 hours! Be sure to arrive as early as possible (the gates open at 9 AM) to avoid the huge crowds that start to arrive by bus about 9 or 9:30 each day. If you can make it there early, go directly to the Castle first to get in line. We only had to wait about 15 minutes after making the climb to the top of the Castle to get our kiss and a photo because we were standing at the gate before opening time and the line was fairly short. It’s difficult to get good photos of your friends or family kissing the Stone, because you are upside down and bent back. They take photos for you, and it costs about 10 or 12 Euros for each printed and digital copy of your photo. It’s worth it, though! Plan on spending a few more hours here after your “stone kissing” to explore the expansive gardens and walking trails. The gardens are really beautiful, and there are several other very interesting features to find and photograph. You can buy tickets online or at the ticket counters. I didn’t think that there was any real advantage to buying them online in advance, because there was no dedicated line for ticket holders. We just had to stand in the same long lines as everyone else. Definitely make the plan to stop here for several hours, at least, when you are in Ireland.