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| A close up view of the Blarney Stone |
Several things stood out about southern
Ireland during the six days Al and I were there. The quaint names of places
like the Ring of Kerry, Killarney, Dingle Bay, Sneem and the Blarney Castle,
home of the Blarney Stone, tickled our imagination. Our tour group spent the greater part of a day
on the bus traveling over a hundred miles around the Ring of Kerry, a scenic loop
which took us past the Lakes of Killarney and along the rugged southwestern
coast.
Villages with brightly
colored houses topped with thatched roofs also made an impression, providing
many wonderful photo opportunities. There were purple, yellow, blue and red
buildings, supposedly done during the war as a reaction to a ruling from the
British crown that all doors were to be painted black. Our guide thought the
reason behind the bright colors was to help people find their way home after
drinking too much Guinness, a popular Irish brew!
It rained off and on during the drive which accounted for the beautiful green
countryside—two more things which stood out to us. By the time we reached the
restored Kerry Bog Village however, the rain had stopped. We enjoyed walking
through the small, thatched roof homes and shops, and learning about its history
which dated back to the 1700’s.
Most of the residents of the community had been farmers or “turf
cutters” who cut and dried peat from surrounding bogs. They even developed a
special breed of pony which had short, stubby legs so that it could carry
cartloads of peat without sinking into the muck!
During the potato blight in the mid 1800’s many people in this community
who were dependent on potatoes for food and income lost their homes. Supposedly
food was still being produced and was available to the wealthy, but those who
were poor couldn’t afford it. Millions of Ireland’s citizens starved to death
or emigrated, a tragic episode in Ireland’s long, tumultuous history.
In the modern day village of Sneem, Al and I paused in front of a lovely
cathedral named the Church of the Transfiguration. A man sitting on a nearby
bench asked, “Are you waiting to see me transfigured?”
“Well, I would like to see that!” I answered laughing. Evidently he
asked that of all the tourists passing by, because many of our group reported
having the same experience. What a great sense of humor… a notable
characteristic of the people of that country!
After spending two days exploring the
region around County Kerry, our group headed northward to Kilkenny, stopping at
the Blarney Castle on the way. I made an impulsive decision to kiss the Blarney
stone, a block of limestone built into the top part of the castle wall and
accessible only by climbing up many circular flights of narrow stairs.
When we reached the spot, Al took my
picture as I lay down on my back and with the help of an employee, leaned over
backwards to kiss the stone, about a foot away from my head. The drop below was
several hundred feet, but bars had been placed across the opening for safety.
Those who kiss the stone are said to
receive the “gift of gab,” but that could be more of a hindrance than a help! I’ve
learned (the hard way) that is a good idea to listen, think before I speak and
to discern when it’s best not to say anything at all. Remembering to pray before
speaking always helps, especially since it is so easy to say things that aren’t
completely true (blarney?) or to use hurtful words. Controlling the tongue is
difficult!
“A wise man’s heart guides his mouth,
and his lips promote instruction. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the
soul and healing to the bones.” Proverbs 16:23-24 NIV
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