In the mid-1950's my father went to Ireland while on leave from his Army posting in Germany. My childhood was peppered with many stories of his travels in Europe and Ireland, among them was his trip to Blarney Castle and his 'kissing of the Blarney Stone'. Dad always told us that he kissed it four times, once for himself, once for his future wife, and once for each of his two future children. He told us that he was dangled by a rope as he went down over the edge of the parapet in order to guarantee a story-telling future for the members of our family. We were appropriately grateful and pitied the families whose father hadn't sacrificed himself in that manner for them.
Legend has it, that a kiss of the Blarney Stone imbues the kisser with the gift of eloquence. My father, without a doubt, is the best story-teller in the entire world. I suspect that is the result of a great imagination,
a well-read intellect and the culture of his southern family where story telling and conversation were as essential as the air they breathed but I'm not willing to rule out the power of that kiss of the Blarney Stone.
7 comments:
How lovely. Believe it or not, I've never been to the Blarney Stone. It's incredible the places you don't go to in your own country! Now whenever I go back I make it my business to see those kinds of places, such as the cliffs I mentioned recently. I appreciated seeing those photos on your post too!
Very nice.
Wonderful story! You have indeed inherited your Dad's talent for story telling! And I loved the cupcake post. We now have a cupcake shop in Champagin, Il. I wondered 'why/' to myself when I saw it was opening. Now, I know they are the new in designer boutiques!
I love hearing about your father! What a beautiful, thoughtful thing to kiss it four times. My dear dad was very much like that...but he would have kissed it 12 times. He wanted 12, and ended up with 6.
Very heartfelt story. You also tell a great story, like your Dad :o)
Now, how did he know he was going to have "two future children?" (I'm assuming he did) This is probably part of the Irish blarney. If he'd had four, the number in the story would have changed, I'll bet. :<) Lovely story, and wonderful blog. I'll be visiting often, Beth. Did you hear that our states are two of the top four safest in the country??
I would love to go to Ireland, but Barbara says that if I get any more Blarney, it might be fatal. I'm in Norman, OK today. Cold and rainy here. Hope to be back on Thursday.
Well I learned something new.But I would not be keen to dangling on a rope to kiss a stone, no matter what the reward would be.
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