The Legend Of The Blarney Stone

For many centuries, as everyone knows, English monarchs

tried to impose their will on Ireland.

15th century Blarney Castle County Cork, Ireland

Queen Elizabeth I, eager to extend the influence of her government,

sent a deputy to Cormac MacDermot MacCarthy, who was the

Lord of Blarney and demanded he take the tenure of his lands from the Crown.

Cormac set out to visit the Queen and plead for his traditional right to

his land, but he despaired of success for he was not fluent of speech.

Shortly after starting his journey, he met an old woman who asked him

why he looked so forlorn. He told her his story and she said,

"Cormac, when Blarney Castle was built, one stone was put into place

by a man who predicted no one would ever be able to touch it again.

If you can kiss that stone, the gift of eloquence will be

conferred upon you."

Cormac succeeded in kissing the stone and was able to address

the Queen with speech so soft and words so fair that as long as he

lived he never had to renounce his right to the land.

 For the "Gift of Gab" pucker up and "Kiss the Blarney Stone"!

Blarney Castle County Cork, Ireland

"The Legend Of The Blarney Stone"

From the book, "Irish Blessings"

Gramercy Books

(1990)