The Legend of the Blarney Stone.

There is a stone there, that whoever kisses,

Oh! He never misses to grow eloquent:

'Tis he may clamber to a lady's chamber,

Or become a member of Parliament.

Blarney Castle

There is legend in Irish history of a stone which possesses the magic to bring all who kiss it the gift of eloquence. It is believed that this stone was given to Cormac McCarthy, the Lord of Blarney, by Robert the Bruce of Scotland from the Stone of Scone in 1314 as a thank you. A spell was placed on this stone that all who kiss it will have the gift of flattery or eloquence in speech. Cormac used this gift when he went to save his land from Queen Elizabeth I by winning her over with his speech. This rock was placed overhanging the top of Lord of Blarney's Castle and for hundreds of years, people from all over have come to this castle to kiss the stone by hanging upside down along the outer wall over an 85 foot high fall. Though there are many legends of how this stone came to be, from being Jacob's Pillow or the Stone of Ezel, 400,000 people visit the castle each year to gain the gift of eloquence. 

Apparently, I now have this 'gift of gab' because I bent over backwards over an 85 foot drop and kissed the slab of rock that is the Blarney Stone. Although it's known as one of the least hygienic tourist destinations in the world, it does rain all the time in Ireland, right?

 Oh well, can't be in Ireland without being a part of the Irish tradition. When in Rome..