Blarney Castle
I did it! I kissed the Blarney Stone! I have now been bestowed with the gift of gab for 7 years. Just what every blogger needs. 🙂
What’s the first thing I’ll say? A cautionary tale. Do not visit the Blarney Stone wearing a shirt that potentially rides up unless you want a picture of your stomach as a souvenir. Dangling over the edge of a wall as a stranger holds your hips in place is not a good angle for anyone. There’s a professional photographer there capturing the moment, but no one’s picture looked good. Some were worse than others. Still, I wish I’d given my outfit a little more thought.
The line to kiss the Blarney Stone. It moves fast.
The Blarney Stone is at the bottom tip. You have to bend over backwards to kiss it.
I’m not sharing the absolutely hideous picture that shows a headless me with an exposed belly. This one is bad enough. I feel sorry for the nice Chinese girl who graciously took my picture. She apologized to me afterward. She should have been warned that there are no good angles.
Can we even be sure this was me??
Kissing the stone is a very odd experience. I knew from watching Samantha Brown that I’d have to lay down and bend over backwards, but I did not expect such a big gap between me and the wall. And I didn’t expect to scoot so far that my hips were on the edge of the precipice as a stranger held me in place. Samantha Brown made it look a lot easier (and she wore a coat).
But, I did it. I kissed the Blarney Stone! Me and a million other people this year. Wonder what they’re all talking about now? Their pictures? The germs? Whether or not we could have faked it and kissed the stone wall higher up?? It’s anyone’s guess. All I know is we’re talking!
Have you kissed the Blarney Stone? Did you like your picture? And if you haven’t, do you know what you’d wear?
Browsing The Atlas 
I just love that picture without the head 😀 in future you can scare your children that if they don’t behave you will take away their head and won’t show then how it can ‘grow back’ muhahah, pure evil 🙂
LOL. 🙂 You’ve got a wicked streak. I love it!
Yes, it is a very strange experience, and I can’t even remember what I was wearing at the time. I’ll have to search through my photos. You look quite okay. 😀
Thanks. I’m pretty sure your picture must have turned out good or else you’d remember it. 😉
I haven’t been there, haven’t done that. Couldn’t have imagined what it would be like, so thanks for sharing the experience!
My pleasure. 🙂
I was quite content (as at the Eiffel Tower, Disneyland etc) to stay on blessed earth while the family did the Blarney thing. It’s a nice little earner for the Cork economy that. Well done Juliann.
I think this is a must-see in County Cork. The castle is fun, but the grounds are even more spectacular. I had no idea how beautiful it would be there.
LOL! The photos are so funny! I didn’t realize you had to be a contortionist to kiss the stone – I will keep this in mind if I ever visit 🙂
🙂 It is not a pretty sight to watch. One older woman ahead of me decided to just kiss the wall instead.
wish you had kissed it twice–once for me as I will never be able to bend backwards like that–btw–the pic was not bad at all and very Halloween–the headless lady
It is Halloween-ish. The photo I didn’t share is even more headless as I scooted down into the crevice to kiss the stone.
I have never understood why it has to be so hard
Wow, I was not aware it took that much effort just to kiss a darn stone! Then again, I suppose it’s not just “any” stone. I have no qualms with leaning forward in mid-air but backwards is a whole other story. The photo is fantastic. It makes it look like you’re bending at a 90 degree angle!
Thanks! This is the shot before the one where I scooted farther out to actually kiss the Blarney Stone. This is just getting into position!
Why the need to lean over backwards? Part of the lore?
p.s. We love Samantha Brown. After the twins were born we haven’t heard much from her. Very missed.
I think it’s the only way you can reach it since it’s below and beyond the castle walkway. Why that little piece of the castle is good luck, I don’t know.
I miss Samantha Brown, too! I thought she was going to start travelling with the babies and make that her new focus. I’m still waiting…
Very brave of you to do all that! I had been waitressing at an Irish bar and heard stories that made me not want to do those acrobatics. Now I wish I had anyway though!
Ah, you should have. It only took a minute and was more fun than frightening. I’m usually scared to death of heights, but laying down helped.
This made me giggle. Blarney it is!
Thanks!
Yes, I’ve done it and it was scary! And the photo was terrible, although I was nineteen at the time, so in hindsight, could have been worse. It was winter so didn’t have the t-shirt problem but now you mention it – good tip!
Thanks for the confirmation that the pictures are horrible. I was starting to think it was just me! (Though I saw lots of bad ones while I was there.) I didn’t find it as scary as I was afraid I might. The whole transacption happened so fast that I didn’t have time to be scared.
He he, no fair, I want to see your sexy abs 🙂 And thanks, I shall remember to wear a coat if and when I do go. And perfect my back bends well in advance 🙂
If I had sexy abs, believe me — you’d see them. 😉
🙂
Living in Ireland, have yet to meet an Irish person who has kissed the Blarney Stone. We keep it specially for our tourists and they all love it! I bet if I bent over backwards to kiss a stone I wouldn’t stop talking either! Hope you enjoyed the other parts of lovely Blarney too! Enjoyed the post 🙂
LOL. Go kiss it! You Irish are missing out! 🙂
The gardens were absolutely stunning. I saw a wedding party having their pictures taken while I was there. It was such a beautiful setting. I’m sure that happens quite often.
Dang, Juliann! Way to rock out that backbend. That’s some serious stuff.
LOL. When you’re determined to kiss the Blarney Stone, you’ll do anything. Now that I’m limbered up, Chinese acrobat shows are next. ;p
I live nearby and I have kissed it , though that was on a nostalgic trip home when I lived abroad! nowadays I prefer to photograph any (headless)visitors I take there!
LOL! I’m sure they appreciate it, even if their pictures are less than flattering.