The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-10-18
The Biarney stone.

An ireland correspondent of the New
York Observer writes as follows of Blar-
Fey Castle and the famous Blarney Stone:
The number, extent and completeness
of the commercial, benevolent, and relig-
ious institutions, in aud about the city of
Cork, of less than a hundred thousandin-
babitants, astonished me- The Lunatic
Asylum, for the insane of large district
of ireland, and fitted to care for $50 pa
tients, appeared to be one of the most ex-
.ensiTe and happily arranged, that had
ever seen. Three buildings, in Gothic
style, in the midst of beautiful grounds,
commanded magnificent view of town,
country, land and water. We passed .kis
institution aud the model Agricul tural
School, and the Queens College, and
number of others, on our way, and
beautiful way it was, one of the most de-
lightfu', winding, shaded, graded roads,
with elegant old mansions in the midst
of trees, their trunks with'ivy clad, the
stone walls by the roadside often over
grown with ivy, all the more enchanting
to us, who, but the day before, were on
the sea, and now were enjoying this new
| scenery with the keenest zest, as we were
riding in an Irish jauutiug car, going to
"B!arney Castle" to see it and the famous
"Blarney Stone," of Ireland Who has
| not heard of the Blarney Stone? Irish
blarney is quite as familiar term as Irish
wit. Yet there are not many who know
where and what is the Barney Stone,
that gives to the Irish, who kiss it, the
persuasive power of the tongue, the all
prevailing fattery, that is said to distin-
guish them as a race. Five miles from
the City of Cork, stands the Donjon Keep,
and ruins of the ancient Blarney Castle,
where, in olden time, dwelt the M'Car-
thys, Barons of Blarney. 1t was built in
the 18th century, and the majestic
strength and proportions of the work show
that in its day, before our modern means
of war were in use, it must have been O
mighty affair.
In the midst of the wall on the North
side, aud supported by two timbers, sew
eral feet below the highest outlook of the
| Castle, was stone, which could not be
reached, unless you were held by the heels
and so let down till you could touch it
with your lips. This stone fell from its
place long time ago, and now another is
| pointed o0t on another side of the Castle,
to De reached IN the same way. [ confess
| that assisted in thus suspendiug two or
three young Americans from Philadelphia,
who were ambitious of adding to their
other accomplishment this Irish endow-
ment, and lady of the party, who had
no need of it, was content to reach it with
her hand, and take the charm On her lips
from the end of her fingers. And that
none may be unable to kiss it, with true
Irish liberality, third stone is provided,
warranted to be the one that fell from its
place, and tkis is placed on the ground,
at the door of the Castle, and you have
only to stoop and touch it with your lips,
and the virtue is precisely the same as
that impaired by the one which is l20
| feet in the air. Whence this tradition
arose nobody knows. Father Prout's
Reliques gives the best account of lis
miraculous power:
''There is stone there,
| That whoever kisses,
Oh he never misses
To grow eloquent
| "'Tis he may Chamber
| To ladvs chamber,
| Or become member
| Of Parliament.
| "a clever spouter
He'll sure turn out, or
An out ard outer,
To be let aionei
"Dont hope to hinder him.
Or to bewilder him,
Sure he's pilgrim
From the Barney Stone"
|