To round out this blog series on myths, fairy tales, and legends surrounding Irish traditions, I’m going to focus on the Blarney Stone. Have you heard of it? It’s a stone…that you kiss…in order to “speak eloquently.”
First of all, would you actually do that? Kiss a stone that’s been a part of a castle for thousands of years! Me, personally, the answer is nope. Yet, because it is nestled into well known Irish folklore, thousands upon thousands of people try to kiss it every year. Did you get that? They try. I’ll get to that interesting tidbit in a minute. First, let’s discuss where the stone even came from.
The Blarney Stone is located in Blarney Castle in Ireland. It is suggested that it’s origin stems anywhere from being Jacob’s pillow as he dreamt to being a gift to Cormac McCarthy for his support during the Battle of Bannockburn. But who gave him the gift? Supposedly, a witch or goddess (they seem to not agree on which it is in my research) gave it to him for saving her from drowning. The truth remains unclear, though I’m inclined to believe it was a gift from battle.
But, what about the myth it can help you in your speech. This story came about when Queen Elizabeth I wanted to deprive Lord McCarthy of his land rights. Being a persuasive speaker, he was able to talk her out of it. Supposedly, later she claimed his words were “blarney” and that he had the gift of gab.
Hence, the legend was born.
Despite which origin story you believe, the bigger issue is kissing the stone itself. The Blarney Stone is built into the top of Blarney Castle. We’re talking eighty-five feet off the ground. You can’t just walk up and lean in for a kiss.
Nope! You have to have lean backwards over the parapet (a low protective wall along the edge of the roof) to reach it. Thankfully, if this is something you must do, there are safety procedures in place for you to plant your kiss and hopefully receive the gift of speaking.
But, can I just suggest that maybe instead of doing all that, taking a course on speaking, hiring a private tutor, or something other than kissing the stone.
I love history and I want to see this castle, but I think I’ll stick to a more traditional way of speaking myself. I’m not that flexible anymore and since there is debate on where the stone came from, I don’t know where it’s been and I’m just not okay with that!
Do me a favor, though, if you do it…can you let me know if it indeed gave you the “gift of gab.” I want to know if bending over backwards is worth it!
