Legend has it that whoever kisses the Blarney Stone will have the gift of eloquent speaking. Well if there is one thing that I lack (I lack many more than one), it would be eloquence. I am a terrible speaker and I can never express my ideas with words in the way that I want them to be understood. Most of the time I speak without thinking, and the results can be disastrous. I joke around a lot! This can be a double edge sword. Sometimes my jokes are funny, but other times (most of the time) I joke around with out thinking about what I'm saying or how it could be interpreted and the jokes are either not funny or not funny and offensive. Plus, sometimes I actually have something serious to say (not often, but it has been known to happen), and everyone assumes that I'm joking and I'm not to be believed. I have been dreaming of the Blarney Stone for some time now, ever since I learned of its mystical powers. At this point, I'm willing to try anything (I've tried keeping my mouth shut, but that's another monster in and of itself).
So I traveled to Blarney Castle, hiked up the ever slimming staircase to the castle battlements, bent over backwards, puckered up and changed my life forever!
I'm not quite eloquent yet, but soon, oh so soon now...
A lot of other people had the same dream as me, we were all so determined that we waited in line for what seemed an eternity. OK, it was really only 20 minutes. The interior of the castle has definitely seen better days. The main floors had all been removed and the castle was essentially a stone shell. Apparently the walls were so thick that it was an almost impregnable fortress. It was never actually taken in battle, instead, when the occupants no longer had a chance to win, they snuck out through some caves and the enemy walked into an empty castle. It a good thing they didn't take the stone with them or I'd have been up the proverbial creek!
There used to be wood floors that made this fireplace accessible, but they are now merely a part of history.
The stone is at the top of the castle in the air exposed hole.
This staircase got progressively narrower as it wound up to the top. I had to butter myself up to slip out at the top.
This room was labeled as the "Young Girls Room" It seems a little suspect that I'm taking this picture from a widow overlooking their room. I'm not sure of the actual reason for the window, but I think I have an idea...
This is the stone from my dreams! The bottom stone in the wall. It wasn't that dirty when I kissed it
Time seemed to stop and I approached the stone. I think I even heard Heavenly Angels break out in song and celebration.
Another lucky soul!
The family room fireplace
The family room, with the main dining hall above me. You can see where the floor once was.
This is what the main dining hall looked like at the high point of the castle.
You can see the stone rim that supported the floor.
This was one tight door way, I really had to unhook the trailer to squeeze though it. It leads into a room with arrow slits and a murder hole.
This guy may not have realized it, but he was walking below the murder hole. Good thing I wasn't defending the castle!
A mid-evil toilet with a chute that runs out of the castle.
Outside of the castle, the scenery was amazing. Waterfall fountains and some druid legend sites. This is the "Witches Wishing Steps." According to legend, a witch would steal firewood from the castle kitchen. Once she was caught she agreed to give wishes to anyone who walked up and down these steps with their eyes closed. She would grant them their wish if they could do it while thinking of their wish the entire time.
I got hungry and stopped for some lettuce.
The cave entrance that the castle dwellers escaped though. Legend has it that they took some special gold seal with them as they escaped to prevent the enemy form acquiring it. They say that the cave tunnels have secret passages that lead to various parts of Ireland and they took all the gold through them. A sign outside the caves mentions that the secret passages may be as easy to find as the castle gold.
This was just an awesome tree. I had to climb on it. The crossbar branch actually connects naturally to the other two trucks of the tree. It kind of resembles a harp, which is funny because the Irish National Symbol is a harp.
The witches stone. I'm not sure if there was a legend about this. Maybe that was lost with time also.
The witches kitchen. Legend has it that if you get here early enough in the morning, you can still catch the burning embers of the witches fire.
2 comments:
What's up with all the witch stuff? I thought Ireland was all about leprechauns?
I'll tell the Bishop about your newly found eloquence and he'll be sure to have you speak in church when you get home, since I KNOW that's the whole reason you wanted to be a better orator.
Everyone kisses the stone on the same spot? Do they disinfect it between kisses? With your lack of eloquence I hope you had a good make-out session with that stone!
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