Well to start things off… Happy St. Patty’s Day! Here’s a picture of me at the Blarney Stone in Ireland. For those of you who are not Irishly-inlcined, here is a bit of history about the Blarney Stone. The name Blarney is derived from the Irish An blarna, “the plain.” Blarney is home to the 90-foot-tall Blarney Castle. Built on a rock in 1446, above several caves, the tower originally had three stories. On the top story, just below the battlements on the parapet, is the world famous Blarney Stone. While its origins are unknown, the Blarney Stone is said to give the gift of eloquence (beautiful speaking ability) to all who kiss it.
Today, “Blarney” means “the ability to influence and coax with fair words and soft speech without offending.” Kissing the stone is quite a physical feat. You have to sit with your back to the stone, and a local guide or friend sits on your legs or firmly holds your feet. Then you lean back and down into the darkness between the castle’s 18-foot-thick (5.5-meter) walls and, grasping the iron rails, lower yourself until your head is even with the stone.
So there you go, a bit of history on the day of the Irish. Speaking of the Irish, maybe I will go hang out at Notre Dame today…
i did nothing for st. patti’s day. drinking some bailey’s would have been my preference, but instead did laundry and ate pizza. i thought, hey if i’m going to spoil the holiday, better do it right you know. when did you go to ireland??
I love that campus.
Love the hat. Ya shoulda worn it today, me laddie.