The Stone of Eloquence
The Blarney Stone is a block of Carboniferous limestone built into the battlements of Blarney
Castle, Blarney, about 8
kilometres (5 mi) from Cork, Ireland. According to legend, kissing the
stone endows the kisser with the
gift of the gab (great eloquence or skill at flattery). The stone was set into a
tower of the castle in 1446. The castle is a popular tourist site in Ireland,
attracting visitors from all over the world to kiss the stone and tour the
castle and its gardens.
The word blarney has come to mean "clever,
flattering, or coaxing talk". Irish politician John O'Connor Power defined it this way: "Blarney is
something more than mere flattery. It is flattery sweetened by humour and
flavoured by wit. Those who mix with Irish folk have many examples of it in
their everyday experience.
An early story involves the goddess
Cliodhna. Cormac Laidir McCarthy, the builder of Blarney Castle. Being
involved in a lawsuit, appealed to Clíodhna for her assistance. She told
MacCarthy to kiss the first stone he found in the morning on his way to court,
and he did so, with the result that he pleaded his case with great eloquence
and won. Thus the Blarney Stone is said to impart "the ability to deceive
without offending." MacCarthy then incorporated it into the parapet of
the castle.
The proprietors of Blarney Castle
list several other explanations of the origins of the stone on their website. Many
of these suppose that the stone had previously been in Ireland, was taken to
Scotland and then returned to Ireland in 1314. The stories listed include one
suggesting that the stone was presented to Cormac McCarthy by Robert the
Bruce in 1314 in recognition of his support in the Battle of
Bannockburn. This legend holds that this was a piece of the Stone of
Scone and was installed at McCarthy's castle of Blarney. Although
colourful, this folk legend does not account for that fact that it supposes
that the stone was removed from Scotland 18 years before Bannockburn, and
modern analysis suggests that the stone is not related to the Stone of Scone.
World Of Mysteries
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