, 1862-11-13
Blarney Castle.

Who has not heard of Blaney Castlef Who
Is not familiar with the Groves Of BlaEney ~
Who does not know the legends Of the famous
BlarneystOne, dear to politicians, lawyers, and
pretty girls, who must al at some time or other,
visit Blarney Castle and furtively kiss the stone
OF which FathsF PrOut once sang in this lively
There Is stone there
That whoever kisses,
OH he never misses
To grow eloquent
IT'S he may Chamber
To d lady's chamber,
Or become O member
OF Parliament.
A clever spouter
He'll soon turn out, or
An out-and-outer, B..
"To be let alone"
Don't hope to hinder him,
Or Il. bewildeF him,
Sure, he's pilgrim
From the Barney-stonel
When the stone first obtained this peculiar repu.
tatiop there is no means Of ascertaining 1tsexact
position among the ruins Of the castle Is also doubt
full. But its celebrity is due to this; He who has
kissed the Blarney-stone Is assumed to be endowed
with fluent and persuasive tongue, although Il
may be associated with insincerity the term 'bar-
ney being generally used to characterize words
that are meant neither to be honest nor true
'Blarney' is, therefore, convertible term with
soft sawder,' or may be used instead Of the i'm
mortal monosyllable uttered by Lady Caroline
Stages, and recorded in the Vicar Of Wakefield
-fadgel
BlGrney Castle was built by Cormac MacCarty
Ladder, the fourth lord Of the manor, descendant
Of one Of the hereditary kings Of Munster, proba-
bly, soon after he succeeded to the loudship, which
took place in the year l449. 1t is founded on q
rock Of limestone and consists Of several chambers
and extensive buildings, differing in character and
age. The principal tower Is upwards Of 100 feet
high. In the northeast angle Of its battlements
is embedded the heever-lamous stone; but some claim
the honof for q remarkable stone in the external
wall, eight feet from the summit. The building
next this tower contains the Earfs Chamber, an
arched room Of small SIZE having tiled floor. and
lighted by handsome recessed window There
are yet some melancholy tokens Of its former fur
niture in the shreds Of tapestry here and there
elinging to its walls. To the east Of the Castle Is
the mansion-house, unrOOled and in ruins; Il was
dismantled 50 recently as 1921. The lake Is dis
tant q quarter Of, mile from the Castle. It Is
triangular in shape nearly half mile 10 circuit,
and covers about thirty acres. The song describes
It as well stored with perch and eels. Leeches are
also found in IT. but we have not ascertained their
employment in the healing art. The sweet rock
close" is broken terrace on the banks Of the Co
man streamlet, 0verhung BY evergreens and some
fOrest.tFees. Here were placed the statues Of the
"heathen goddesses and nymphs 50 fair," commem-
GRATED by the bard Alright Of steps, bearing
the fanciful name Of the Witches Stairs, leads
down to the waters edge. They are covered over
with large flags, and close beside them is fine
Cromlech, for funeral stOne) from which, perhaps,
the popular title arose. The demesne IS now q
dairy-farm. The adjoining village is falling into
ruin from the failure Of the woOlen and linen mills,
which once existed to the number Of thirteen.
The most interesting modern reminiscence arises
from the visit Of the author Of WaYerley, during
his Irish tour IN 1925.
We may add that the Castle remained In the
possession of the descendants Of the MacCarty
until forfeited, with the extensive estates belonging
to the Lord Muskerry and Clancarty, in the war
Of 1859, after which It passed into the hands Of
the Jefries family to whose representative It still
belongs.
Blsrney Castle and It's sOngcelebnted groves
are situated about Eve miles from Cork, on the
river Lee.