Kissing the germs on the Blarney Stone

View of the grounds from Blarney Castle tower
see all photos »

An excert from an article entitled "12 things to see in 12 days, by public transport, out of season" by Karen Watkins

You can’t come to Ireland and not kiss the Blarney Stone. The massive ivy-covered castle was built in 1446 and the tradition of kissing the stone is said to empower eloquence on all who kiss it. After climbing many steps to the open-topped tower, I stood in line to kiss the stone. It takes dexterity to do this. Lying on my back, I grasped iron railings on the parapet wall, trying not to think of all the other people who have kissed the stone and left behind their germs, while below my head was a metal grate with the ground five stories below!

Cobh, the Heathrow of yesteryear

Kissing the Blarney Stone
see all photos »

In the afternoon I took a 25-min train ride from Cork to picturesque Cobh, on an island in a natural harbour. The town is steeped in history being the Heathrow of yesteryear, a principal port and the last stop for the Titanic before its fateful Atlantic crossing. Survivors were brought and buried here when the Lusitania sank off the coast at Kinsale.