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Ireland's Blarney Stone Stuff-Up

February 25, 2008 at 9:40 AM | by amandak | 2 Comments

If you've been on the tourist trail in Ireland you'll know all about the Blarney Stone: a piece of stone in the Blarney Castle near Cork, which is meant to give you the "gift of eloquence" if you lie on your back and lean awkwardly out to kiss it.

But one recent study is now suggesting that since 1888, tourists have been kissing the wrong stone. Smooching with the original Blarney Stone apparently involved being lowered down the side of the castle, with some trustworthy friend holding your ankles. The researchers suggest that someone (cleverly) decided this could be dangerous, and simply started telling people the Blarney Stone was another one.

Naturally enough the current keepers of the Blarney Castle dispute this, eloquently. We dispute it too, since we've kissed the allegedly fake Blarney Stone in the past--and surely here at Jaunted we're nothing less than eloquent?

Related Stories:
· Think You've Kissed the Blarney Stone? [Independent]
· Ireland Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: bmoyles]

2 Comments

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  1. rodaniel

    Jaunted Member

    'Tis Grand Enough

    It may, in truth, only be awkward - after all, there's a sturdy fellow holding onto you for dear life to make certain that you aren't going anywhere.  But bending backwards into a hole in the castle parapet with the ground looming perilously a few hundred feet below certainly gave me sweaty palms!

    Authentic or not, I'm glad I smooched the stone!

    February 27, 2008 at 8:12 AM
  1. amandak

    Jaunted Member

    Agreed ...

    yes, while I bravely described it as merely "awkward", the current (possibly fake) stone is quite daring enough for me :-) And rodaniel, by the sounds of your comment, it seems as though the gift of eloquence well and truly rubbed off on you!
    February 28, 2008 at 7:10 PM

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