Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-06-20
BLARNEY CASTLE.


We have mentioned the potato. Ireland has
in the potato, the Irish potato, sc-cnlled. which
is not native of the Emerald Isle, but is of
American origin. Sir Walter Raleigh, as he
did the tobacco, brought from Virginia the first
potatoes known 70 Europe, and it was on his
estate at Youghal twenty-eight miles east of
Cork, that they were first grown in Europe.
The Indians called the tubers ''patatas' or
.'batatas," which. rendered into English has
come down to us as potatoes.
1t is at Queenstown. at the customs house,
that the new arrival obtains his first glimpse of
the royal Irish constabulary, that body of mill
tary police. numbering some II 900 men, which,
stationed about the country in squads of vari-
GUS sizes. keeps the Irish down in those sons
of deposed kings inclined to throw off the gall
ing yoke of old England. The detail at the
customs house busies itself scanning the pas
sengers while the luggage. as baggage is known
here, Is being inspected, many persons
being questioned and names and destinations
noted, a practice which is decidedly annoying
to one who has no dynamite concealed abou.
his clothes and has not the slightest intention
OF overthrowing the government Like the
military the constabulary wear the absurd
little pill-box forage cap strapped to the right
side OF the head. just above the ear, but their
uniform is of a sober blue-black without deco
ration. They are fine body of men. tall and
of athletic appearance; their pay is very good
much better than that of the military or the
ordinary police Of Dublin or OF Engand-and
but for the fact that they seem to be quite gen.
orally despised by the mass of their country
men their lot, contrary to that of the police
man. as we are told by Gilbert, would be alto
gether a most "'appy one"
The constable when enlisted is sent to serve
at point distant from his home that he may
not be embarrassed by any personal considera-
tons in the performance of his duties. Though
the constabulary, in addition to patrolling the
country districts. perform ordinary police duty
in the cite: and towns. constituting, save in
Dublin, practically the only police: they are not
subject to any authority other than that of the
government as represented in the person of the
lord lieutenant of Ireland. appoiG ted by the
crown. An enthusiastic Irish gentleman.
with whom we conversed on the subject, as
serted that tine constabulary have, in
some instances, melted and encouraged
.'ructions" among the people that they might
have an opportunity to show their LOYALTY and
devotion to the hated government" How
ever this may be- the constabulary as encoun-
tered in their barracks at frequent inter
vais throughout the land, holding little inter-
course with the people. bear rather the appear
ance of an army of occupation than police for
the preservation of law and order in the ordi-
nary sense. Our kodak in its black leather
case seems to be an object of some doubt and
suspicion and We shall not be greatly surprised
if some Jealous but stupid constable does not
require Us to submit it for inspection.
THE CITY OF CORK.
Cork, which has no connection with cork al
| all, but derives its name from the Irish cor
cagh, meaning marsh, is not bad sort Of
place, only in a somewhat undeveloped state
1t has few modern streets, but its building,
are mostly low structures OF an old pattern
and very plain and unattractive indeed. The
suburbs to the west are more attractive, witt
plenty of trees, shrubbery, and hedges. and the
little river Lee, stripped of the wharves ant
docks OF the city, here appears at its best, fur
nisbing good fishing. if we may judge from thu
crowd of amateur fishermen dangling theil
| lines from the bridge as we pass.
The first objective upon leaving Cork is nat
urally Barney castle. five miles distant. 81
! thither we went, determined to render our
selves, by gluing our lips for one brief ecstati.
moment to the Barney stone. even more ire
sistible, if that were possible. with our new bi
cycles and new bicycling suits. For who
kisses the stone
| "a clever spouter
He'll sure turn out, or
An out and outer,
To be let alone!
Don't hope to hinder him
Or to bewiider him,
Sure hes n pilgrim
From the Barney stone"
At least so Alilliken told the world in SON
nearly q hundred years ago. Sixpence admit
| 10 Tue STOuutts surrounding Castl
| aud We soon stood before the magnet which ha
| so speedily drawn us to itself.
KISSING THE BLARNEY STONE
But, alas the stone which everybody kisses
not the "rale Baarney shtone," as our voiubl
guide finally admitted when we declined to &C
cept his first statement as to the genuineness q
the substitute. The real Blarney stone is o.
the opposite side Of the CASTLE in one Of the col
ners, and inaccessible unless one were let dow
TO il by a rope. After descending we overhear
the attendant telling some later arrivals. al
English party, that il was chiefly American
that kissed the stone. We could now bette
understand why the stone is held in place b
iron bars. We hope that Yankee ingenuity (a
Americans are Yankee" to our EnRlish-speal
ing cousins across the water), or what are NOR
potent. Yankee dollars, will yet secure to u
the stone to which, substitute though IL be
tradition attaches such excellent virtue, tha
all American mankind may be benefited. with
out trouble or Inconvenience, at price not :
exceed ten cents q kiss.
As illustrating the simple faith of some Of on
countrywomen, especially OF the younger gen
Grafton, . story il told TO the effect that n
American party, among which was an sttract
i've young miss with most abiding belief Il
everything Of this kind, chsnssd 70 meet q th