We’re nearly certain you’ve heard the expression “kiss the Blarney stone,” but you may not know what exactly the Blarney Stone is.
This March MJR would like to celebrate the luck of the Irish and observe St. Patrick’s Day by revealing some of the rich history of Ireland.
A Little Blarney Stone History
The Cloch na Blarnan is a chunk of carboniferous limestone. It’s built-in to the battlements of Blarney Castle, which is in… Blarney, which is about 5 miles (8 kilometers) from Cork. Legend has it that kissing the Blarney stone will endow the kisser of the stone with the gift of gab. It’s a strange gift to get for kissing a stone, but the Irish put a lot of stock into having great eloquence or being highly skilled at verbal persuasion.
The Blarney stone got its gift of gab powers thanks to the goddess Clíodhna, who cast a spell on the stone at the behest of Cormac McCarthy (the builder of the castle, not the famous author), who was involved in a nasty lawsuit at the time. The goddess blessed the rock, McCarthy kissed it, and he expressed great verbal dexterity while arguing his case, winning in the end.
Kissing the Stone
The Blarney stone is located about 85 feet up on the east wall of the castle battlement. Sounds awkward, right? Get this: from the top of the castle wall, you would literally have to bend over backwards while holding a railing in order to kiss the stone. Definitely don’t do it if you need your spine aligned — your chiropractor will appreciate the business, we’re sure of it.
Also, keep in mind that millions of people have kissed the Blarney stone. We don’t want to be cynical, but it’s probably not the most sanitary thing to do.
Wearing Green on St. Pattie’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day is a fantastic time to celebrate Irish culture in your community. If you don’t have a green shirt, maybe rock an emerald, jade, or peridot pendant, ring, or brooch so you don’t get pinched. If you’re not into jewelry, Gucci, Victorinox, and Tag Heuer definitely have some green watch options as well.
We all know how wild St. Patrick’s Day gets. If you’re brave enough to venture out and something happens to your jewelry this St. Pattie’s Day, do not panic. Send your jewelry and watch repairs to My Jewelry Repair and we’ll get it back to you as good as new or in mint condition.
Our jewelry and watch repair process is easy, and you can do it all online. You don’t even have to leave your home, if you arrange for USPS carrier pickup. Visit MyJewelryRepair.com today to get your jewelry or certified watch repair started.