Blarney Castle.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 33, 14 August 1902, Page 6

Blarney Castle.

Blarney is four miles northwest of Cork. The village is situated on a rivulet of its own name and is surrounded by beautiful scenery :

But it is Blarney Cattle and ita grove*, celebrated in song and poetry, that attract so many tourists. This famous castle is outside the village a short distance ; it stands on a low hill, and looks out on a field or park that is used as a public pleasure resort.

Blarney Castle is many stories in height, and the very topmost cornice is tbe world renowned stone, that, according to time honored belief, imparts to those that kiss it a pecular style of eloquence or great skill in the use of complimentary terms.

There is an interestirg bit of legendary lore connected with the stone. About the middle of the fifteenth century, so the legend runs, Cormas McCarthy, the builder of the fortress, chanced one day to save a queer old woman from drowning. Deeply grateful to her gallant rescuer, the old woman offered him a tongue so eloquent that his influence over mankind, friends and foes, should be irresistible.

To obtain the wonderful gift of eloquence she instructed McCarthy to climb to the top of the castle and kiss the specified stone. He unhesitatingly followed her instructions, and the moment he kissed the stone he became ' golden mouthed,' as the woman had promised.

Ever since that day people have been anxious to kias the Blarney stone. To do so, however, is v feat not easily accomplished, for the stone is at the bottom of the cornice. The cornice is seven feet deep, and projects three feet beyond the main wall. Some years ago it dropped out, but was at once put back in place and secured to the cornice by means of two heavy iron rods.

Blarney Castle once belonged to the Earls of Clancarthy. Taken as a whole the castle is at the present day in a good state of preservation.