The Blarney Stone has been ranked alongside the Beijing Tap Water Museum, a Lps Angeles pornography convention and a 'vomitorium' on a list of the world's '101 Worst Places to Visit'

The list has been compiled by US author Catherine Price who reports on the dangers of saliva picked upwith each kiss of the world-famous stone.

In a new book, '101 Places Not to See Before You Die' , the travel writer criticises the Irish tourist attraction because of access problems, but she is even more disgusted by the 'trace bits of spit left behind with every pucker'.

Blarney Castle owner Sir Charles Colthurst dismissed the ranking 'as a load of Blarney' and joked that falling visitor numbers would significantly reduce the amount of saliva on the stone.

Visitor numbers are down from 400,000 to 338,000 last year and are expected to fall below 300,000 this year.

Other entries in 101 Places Not to See Before You Die are a Groper’s Night on the Tokyo Subway, Eurodisney, Ibiza for a family holiday and the world bog snorkelling championship.