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Show FAMOUS OLD BLARNEY Historic Spot, Long Famed In Song and Story, Is One of the Glories of Ireland. IN THE year 1446 an Irish bishop his face scarred with many wounds climbed to the keep of his castle, and, hanging over the side, kissed a stone in the wall about five feet from the top. This was Cormack MacCar-thy, MacCar-thy, and the castle was Blarney castle, his military Ftronghold. For in those days a bishop had to be a good fighter besides being a good churchman. The stone that MacCarthy kissed is now called the "Blarney Stone." Cormack MacCarthy built Castle Blarney in County Cork. One day, a little while after he had finished it, he was walking along when he happened to see an old woman drowning in a stream. Being both a courteous and a brave man, he immediately plunged in, and after many struggles rescued her. The old woman blessed her rescuer res-cuer and promised that, for a reward, she would bestow upon him a tongue of such eloquence that he could influence influ-ence friends and enemies. But there was only one way to obtain ob-tain this gift. He must climb to the top of his castle and kiss a stone in the wall there. MacCarthy followed 8T " -I' i Blarney Castle. directions and immediately obtained S-ich eloquence that he delayed for a long time by persuasion and promise the surrender of the castle to the lord president. It is said that even to this day whoever climbs to the top of the castle and kisses the stone will receive re-ceive the gift of golden speech. Many people now go to kiss the Blarney stone. One time a young American visited Castle Blarney, and was very enthusiastic about kissing the stone. He leaned over the square opening; but just then he got a look at the ground, 120 feet below. He suddenly decided that this business of kissing the Blarney stone was only a silly superstition, and was not worth the trouble anyway. . One of the legends that cling about ;he ruins of Blarney is that in the pastures near the castle ghostly cattle fight at night with the present possessors posses-sors of the fields. It is also reported that in the summer fairies dance on the grass all night. Castle Blarney's fame has been increased in-creased by Richard Xlileikin's song, "The Groves of Blarney," written in 1798. Francis S. Mahoney, known as Father Prout, added the following lines, which have carried the legend ot the Blarney stone around the world: There is a stone there, That whoever kisses, Oh! he never misses To grow eloquent. 'TIs he may clamber To a lady's chamber Or become a member Of .veet Parliament. 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 bewilder him, Sure he's a pilgrim. From the Blarney Stnne. |