The Irish standard., 1900-09-22
I. ~
:. SXer Kisses It is Endowed
th Rare Gifts.
4 BEsCRif ION OF The CURIOSITY
An American Thinks Its Virtues
are Exaggerated.

Have you kissed the Blarney stone?
This is almost invariably the first
question put to those returning from a
visit to Ireland, and although we did
not set much value on Barney or prize
fits charms very highly, still we con-
cluded it might be as we'll for us to put
ourselves in a position to be able to
give nn affirmative answer to inquiring
friends on our return to America,
writes John Wood in the Providence
Visitor The trip to Blarney is here
in Cork and it's neighborhood the
source of much mirth and joviality,
and many good-natured, sharp witt
cfsms are exchanged anent it. Blarney
is connected with Cork by a narrow
gauge railroad built specially to serve
the tourist or sightseeing traveller to
Blarpey. 1t runs on the common road
or highway, most of the six odd miles
to Blarney. The country through
which the road passes is very pleasing
to the eye; on either side on the way
out from Cork there are n number Of
very pleasing villas, farming land, dot
ted here and there with comfortable
focking farmers houses, and an occa-
sGional small village. AS the train siil9
draws near to Blarney, the trees be-
come so numerous as to intercept the
view, and thus harass the sightseer
eager to catch a glimpse of the castle.
This anxiety on the part of the visi-
tors greatly amuses the natives who
may happen to be OH the train, VINO
Know all about Blarney and the sillt-
ness of which it is the object. Arrived
at the station, the sightseers hurry to-
wards the ruins of the old castle; an
admission fee Of two pence Is charged
ut the entrance to the grounds for all
xyho come by the narrow-gauge rail-
roail--t1lose who come by side car or
otherwise must pay six pence admis'
sion, thus proving the close business
affiliations existing between the owner
Of the castle grounds and the railroad.
A stone in the tower is the cause of
the worldwide notoriety which Blar-
ney has received. Tradition confers
wonderful powers on this stone, alleg-
ing that whoever kisses it is thereby
endowed with remarkable faculties,
chief among which is a rare persua-
sive elouuence which is Irresistible.
The real stone which is said to have
bcrnc at one time the inscription.
"Cormac Nc Carthy fortis mefieri fecit, y
now wholly illegible, and had also en-
craven on it shamrock in high relief,
fs about eight feet from the top of the
tower on the northeast angle and is
today almost inaccessible and so an
cti,er more accessible has been substf-
,l,tetl. so that even the less adventur
GUS may be able to say they kissed
the Blarney stone. This latter stone
is claspe,i by iron braces and thus held
in position on the outer rim of the
highest part of the battlements still
standing. In order to kiss it person
must either stoop under the inner rim
hanging out into space, with nothing
aplm.ici,tly between a person and the
earth 125 feet below, whilst another
,uust hold the adventurer firmly by the
hand. Others prefer to lie on their
stoinachs over the top battlements and
thus reach out to kiss the stone, trust
fre for protection and safety to the
atrcngtl. of another person holding
z:,cln by the feet.
On reaching the top of the tower,
after the laborious task of climbing up
The narrow, winding steps, we heartily
entered into the spirit of the occasion.
The point was to kiss the stone. We
were told before ascending of the man
WHO some years before had fallen
from the top while making the at
tempt, story that is almost invaria-
lily told to all visitors. whether to de-
ter them altogether or stimulate their
courage, we cannot say.
a good-natured contention arose as
to which of us should make the first
attempt. We were all desirous to be
able to say we kissed the stone, not
that we had very much belief in the
virtue of the stone. for by this time we
had almest lost all faith in 1t, If, in
deed. we ever had any.
Finally, one made an attempt to
reach out under, while another held
him by the hand, and 4 third watched
to see that he would kiss the stone
fairly and squarely. The one holding