The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1859-09-30
Who VIII not visit BIarney
Castle.

The Blarney- Stone has become such
household word in our country, that every
reader of Irish history IS curious to know
how such tradition originated ACork cor
respondent Of the Cleveland Herald thu:
describes his visit to Blarney Castle and hi:
view of the famous Blarney-Stone:
Blarney Castle, the location Of the cee
ora.ed Blarhey-Stone, is only i've mile:
from Cork, so Of course we had to pay il
visit. Hiring car we started off over a
splendid road made of the solid rock, and
having succession Of cultivated fields and
green groves on either side. An Irish
car is a peculiar institution. The driver
sits in front whilst the passengers sit back
to back, facing the sides of the road. The
horse is generally dilapidated sort of an
animal, but the machine manages to ge.
over the ground very rapidly. As we
rode along numerous fields of potatoes
were passed. The potatoes are planted in
long ridges, with trench between the rows,
dug so low that though there is water in
them, the "potatoe hills" are dry This
preserves supply Of nourishment for the
seed and growing plants The stems and
leaves of the plants are thickly matted to-
gether, thus shielding the earth from the
direct rays of the sun.
Blarney Castle was at length reached
1t must have been originally building of
immense strength, and even now, with
three fourths of it destroyed and the re-
naming fourth in great decay, it forms a
massive ruin. The principal part of the
existing remains is huge square tower
the walls of which are built of enormous
stones, and are about eight feet in thickness
having height Of nearly one hundred
feet. Old as it is, it would stand consd-
erable knocking yet. The people of the
neighborhood say that the Castle was built
in the year 700, but reliable accounts state
thst the presen. building was erected in
the year 1449, by Cormack Mccarthy,
then chieftain of a family that held posses
SION of Blarney Castle until 1859, when it
was forfeited and purchased by an an,es-
tor of the present owner, Mr.. Jeffreys.
The building is uninhabited, and has been
for number years. The stones of which
the Castle is built are of lime rock, some
of them very heavy, and it is exceedingly
puzzling to understand how they got them
up to their places at a time when 50 little
was known Of machinery.
The top of this tower is surrounded with
a stone parapet, about the height of ones
breast, and on this are two large stones
One of these is said to be the Barney
stone, or in fact both are claimed TO be
< Blarney stones" one is called the LA
dies Blarney y-stone," and the other the
2" Gentleman's Blarney-stone," and the
story is that oohosoerer kisses the former,
can al,rnys o0tain Me affections Of any lady
that he destres, phiiSta Kiss Of tie latter ,cilI
confer on the kisser tie roaoer II unlimited
lying, Nth the certainty ofthe lie being be
fieved OF course l kissed the Ladies
Stone" because l wished to possess the
promised power. The other kissed be
c.rsc OF the danger of the adventure. 1t
is supported by two iron bars out over the
side Of The tower, and to get a. it one must
lean about half the body over the parapet
and reach down half the head TO kiss the
stone. Should the unfortunate kisser miss
his hold, he would inevitably be dashed TO
pieces on the rocks below.
Blarney Lake is small and pretty sheet
of water, about two hundred feet in length,
by one hundred in breadth, or about the
size of a small mill pond. Small as it is,
it is thought something wonderful here
II is said to contain aquantity of fine bass,
trout and other fish. The Blarney estate
is very large, having a magnificent park,
stocked with deer, large gardens and ex-
tensive fields.