THE BLARNEY STONE

Evening Star, Issue 19550, 7 May 1927, Page 24

THE BLARNEY STONE

TD REMAIN IN IRELAND Castle Blarney and tho Blarney Stone are still safe in Irish hands. Since tho death of its former owner, Sir, George St. John Oolthnrst, a year ago, the fate of the famous estate has been in doubt ; and reports were current that an American might buy it. But now, William 0. Trapp tolls us in -the New York ‘Evening World,’ thA famous old castle,' with its surrounding grove .of ancient trees, beautiful turf, and picturesque glens, has been taken over by Sir George’s son Richard. The heir of Blarney is still a young man and prosperous, though his father, according to report, died comparatively poor with 50,000 dollars. Family pride, it was said, restrained the elder Colt-hurst trom selling the widely-known Blarney Stone, and,the precedent set by Ids father is not likely to ho upset by tho son. The Castle of Blarney, which is little more than a tower 120 ft high, is four miles north-west of Cork. One of the authorities on the Blarney Stone declares that the popular tradition of the countryside is that the si one endows whoever kisses it with the same persuasive, wheedling, and sweet eloquence perceptible in the language of Cork people. . There was an older idea that kissing the stone gave the kisser “ a faculty of deviating from veracity with an unblushing countenance whenever it may bo convenient.” That version is indignantly denied by all true believers. Many controversies have arisen over, tho exact position of the stone which is supposed to exert a potent eflect upon one’s eloquence. The stone : s triangular, held in position by iron bands about 20ft from the top of the wail. The true stone hears the inscription: “ Cormack MaeCarthy Forfis Mo Fieri Fecit, v.n. 1446.” To reach it one must lie hold by the heels through an opening in tho parapet. At least that was the older way of doing it. More recently, however, iron spikes have been placed across tho top of the battlements, and tho present-day seeker for eloquence bends his body through an opening, twists his head and shoulders, turns his nock, and kisses the stone on the under side. Occasionally,' it is said, certain adventurers to the Castle of Blarney, dislike to go through all that hardship, and for their benefit a courteous attendant. sweetened with a sixpence, will show him another stone whence came the eloquence of the MacGarthys.

Even more spirited have been the discussions over the exact power the stone is expected to confer. The phrnso ’‘no blarney” is said to conic down from Queen Elizabeth's day, and, historically, its meaning would indicate a form of suave speech intended to gain time. In 1602 the Spaniards were the Irish loaders to harass the English. Oormack M’Dorm.od Carthy (another spelling) was' holding Blarney Castle at the time, and ho had made an armistice with the Lord President on condition that he surrender the castle to the English. Carthy postponed the day by making many promises, and gained so much delav that Caron, the Lord President, became the laughing stock of the ccurt. Another story centres round that same MacCarthy, who built the castle, and tells how lie happened one day to save an old woman from drowning. In I return the .woman gave Connack a golden tongue of great persuasive magic that would influence people in any way he wished. The gift was made on the one condition that ho kiss a certain stone a few feet from the top of the castle wails. ■ He did so, and forever after he had eloquent power. The whole country in the neighborhood of Blarney Castle is rich in legend. Fairies dance in the moonlight, and their rings may bo found on the grass any day in ihc summertime. A quarter of a mile from the castle is the'pretty Blarney Lake, into which, according to tradition, the Earl of Clancarty, who forfeited tlm castle to the Crown during the revolution, threw the family plate. Three of tiio MacCarthys, goes the ' story that every MacCarthy knows by heart, inherited the secret of the hiding place. Whenever a MacCarthy is on his deathbed he confides tho_ secret to another member of the family, which is to be kept inviolate until the MacCarthys have their ownership in Blarney Castle restored. But the real legends, of course, are in the Blarney Stone itself, and ever 1 since the humorous Father Front called ■ it •' ‘ the palladium of Ireland” it has j become the object of widespread iujterest. Thousands and thousands of (tourists make the trip by jaunting car j from Cork—ss the round trip—through j some of the loveliest scenery on earth. William S. 'Walsh, compiler of all kinds of lore, thatq “ every Irishman south of the Liffey is popu- ’ larly supposed to have enjoyed the 'renowned osculation, and, moreover, to have taken a dip in the Shannon, that makes perfect the quality of ■ impudence, or, as the natives euphemistically, express-it, civil courage. Where the stone -originally came from no one knows, though the unorthodox declare it was picked up with the other stones near by when the dungeon 1 tower was built. . It may have come with the original Phoenicians who, traditions say, were the first inhabitants of Ireland. It may have been borne to Cork by later adventurers. No one knows with, certain ty, of course. ’but this much at least is known; it is visited by nearly every one who

goes to Ireland, though most of the tourists are content fo see it—not to kiss it. It requires courage to do that.