The Best of Irish Fun: Kissing the Blarney Stone at Fabled Blarney Castle
Posted: Wednesday, April 06, 2011
by Wayne and Judy Bayliff
the2writers.com
"The Blarney Stone," is also known as "The Stone of Eloquence," and it is both a legend and fact. If you have wondered about the location of this fabled icon, the answer is to be found atop the 12-foot thick walls of the bleak and eerie ruins of the magnificent Blarney Castle.
The magical legend
In early 15th century Ireland, a Munster king named Cormac MacCarthy constructed a grand fortress in the village of Blarney - upon the edge of a towering cliff near the town of Cork.
The castle top was crowned with a machicolation that was built about two feet out from the main building and held in place by a series of large stone corbels. The objective of this separate wall was to protect castle defenders from flying arrows while they dispatched attackers with hot liquids and rocks dropped through the opening between the suspended outer wall and the structure's main wall.
The witch did it
During the castle construction, a good and grateful witch, who had been saved from drowning by a member of the builder's family, placed a numinous power into one of the machicolation stones. Unfortunately, she chose a rock in the most awkward location on the battlement. The enchanted stone is set in the bottom of the outer wall positioned more than 5-stories above the ground.
The Leprechauns made it public
After the witch empowered the stone, she gathered the local Leprechauns and requested they tell all the "good people" of County Cork that anyone who had the courage to kiss her "Stone of Eloquence" would be rewarded with "the eternal gift of gab."
Well, you know how Leprechauns are. Before long the whole of Ireland knew of the magical powers of the Blarney Stone, and within 100 years - the whole world knew.
Kissing the Blarney Stone
If you visit Blarney Castle to see the famous stone, you may as well get the benefits of caressing it with your lips, because it is very hard to get a good look at the Blarney Stone without being in the kissing position.
The witch did not make this an easy task. First, there is the long and laborious climb up a narrow spiraling rock staircase to get to the parapet. There is no elevator in the ruins. We counted 124 steps, but we may have missed a few.
Getting ready for the smooch
Once you reach the top of the castle and address the stone, the kissing effort requires you to lie on your back, grab onto two iron rails fixed to the outer wall, and wiggle and suspend your head and shoulders out into space in order to reach your objective.We can tell you first hand that it is a good thing to be on your back during this experience, because you would not want to be facing down. Visitors who suffer from acrophobia have a difficult time standing close to the opening.
Not to worry, the castle provides an able-bodied helper to hold your legs while you stretch over the opening to put lips to stone. A note of caution that we learned the hard way - remove everything from your pockets before you assume the position.
Millions of kisses and still counting
300,000+ lip caresses a year have turned the stone's kissing spot a rather dismal shade of dark gray. The color and sheen is understandable considering the many millions of people who have kissed the magic rock over the past five-hundred years.
No one knows the full measure of famous and eloquent politicians, actors, literary giants, and business and religious leaders, who owe some - or perhaps all - of their success to the magic of the Blarney Stone.
Blarney Castle belongs on your Irish itinerary
Blarney Castle is a first rate tourist destination with a fine gift shop, charming gardens, and a superb Rock Close that is said to be built on a former Druid ceremonial site. Check out their website at http://www.blarneycastle.ieIf you go
Consider a stay in nearby Cork, which is just a 20-minute drive from Blarney Castle. Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and has a population of about 150,000. The city center is an island surrounded by the Lee River. Cork has many fine hotels, but the premier 5-Star lodging in Cork is the Hayfield Manor Hotel.
Click here for additional photos of ancient Blarney Castle.
Happy travels!
We flew from New York to Dublin on Aer Lingus. We enjoyed the Irish hospitality in the sky, you will too.
© Travels with Wayne and Judy
Photos © Wayne and Judy Bayliff
Great information about a true World treasure, and though I have never been to Ireland myself I can personally attest that the legend is true: I have met wonderful people who have kissed the stone and have been blessed with the gift of gab! Keep up the great writing and photography, Wayne and Judy!» left by Wayne and Judy Bayliff 1 year 45 days ago.
8 fans. Follow Wayne and Judy Bayliff on twitter!Bruce, you have indeed seen the truth first hand! :-)
My wife and I kissed the stone in 1983, and I've been acting this way ever since.
John Sammon
8 fans. Follow Wayne and Judy Bayliff on twitter!John, imagine if we were to get together with you and your wife. Pity the poor onlookers!
I've heard that locals dislike the tourism so much that some urinate on the stone. I wouldn't kiss it to save my life.I gave the article 4 stars, but for some reason when the comment posted, it only shows 2!
8 fans. Follow Wayne and Judy Bayliff on twitter!That's a better legend than the one about the stone! Of course, it would have to be quite a young man, and if true, it certainly is a good thing it rains a lot in Ireland. In addition, we never met an Irishman that didn't enjoy the tourists and telling a wee tale.
This article is very good, and for the record I give it 4 stars.Worked that time.
8 fans. Follow Wayne and Judy Bayliff on twitter!Thank you!
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