Blarney Castle and Legend of the Blarney Stone

Blarney Castle is about four miles north-east of Cork City, and is one of the most famous buildings in Ireland.  It is believed to have been built initially for Cormac Laidir (the Strong) MacCarthy in 1445.   The present ruin is in two parts--a slender peel tower (16 ft. by 14 ft.) which is the earliest part and a much larger mass (60 ft. by 36 ft, 5 stories approximately 66-85 ft in height) which was originally attached to it around the end of the 15th century.   The castle walls range in thickness from 12 ft. at the base to 8 ft. at the third story.

The castle's notoriety stems from the legend of the Blarney Stone.  The stone is set in the wall of the Blarney Castle tower in the village of Blarney.  Kissing the stone is supposed to bring the kisser the gift of persuasive eloquence.  The origins of its magical properties aren't clear, but one legend says that an old woman cast a spell on the stone to reward a king who had saved her from drowning.  Kissing the stone while under the spell gave the king the ability to speak sweetly and convincingly.

The Blarney Stone is not easy to reach as it is set between the main castle wall and the parapet.  Kissers have to lie on their back and bend backward as well as downward, holding iron bars for support.  As many of you will not have the opportunity to visit Ireland, I've brought a cyberversion of the stone here for you.

To kiss the stone, lie on your keyboard and kiss it backwards!

Disclaimer:  Images, with the exception of the buttons, are believed to be in the public domain.  If artist comes forward, I will either remove or give credit as desired.

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B. Malheiro