I had the privilege of climbing Blarney Castle to kiss the famous Blarney stone and to attempt to receive the gift of gab / eloquence.
The Blarney castle has been attracting attention since it was built over six hundred years ago by Cormac McCarthy. It has become a world landmark and one of Ireland’s greatest tourist traps, where apparently many Americans and foreigners come to visit when they visit Ireland.
The overwhelming popularity is because of the Blarney Stone, which is the legendary Stone of Eloquence that is located at the top of tower. A worker sits there for tips and will help lower you backwards and upside down to kiss the stone. I had to try twice, realizing the first time I did not lower myself low enough and I kissed the wrong stone!The state that the legend states that if you kiss it you will never be at a loss for words. When I spoke to a few young local Irish people in the pubs, they said that some Irish sneak in and urinate on the stone, after hours, I hope this is not the case.
We learned that Cormac McCarthy-King of Muster at one time occupied the castle. Cormac McCarthy came to the aid of Robert the Bruce by supplying him with four thousand men from Muster to assist at the battle of Bannockburn in 1314. In gratitude towards McCarthy the king gave half of the Stone of Scone to him. The legend states that the stone that was given to McCarthy is now known as the Blarney Stone that has been incorporated in the battlements where it can be kissed and is kissed hundreds of times daily by foreign tourists.
WikiPedia-July 27,2011 (last modified) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blarney_Castle
