Blarney Castle

The, I've already had one of my friends that I met in Vietnam, she's Canadian, I met her in Canada again, and she came over to Ireland.

I took her to Blarney Castle.

We've already had those reconnections.

Those kind of things you do not get sitting on your backside watching the trainers [laughs] and staying put in Ireland, you know? I think pushing yourself to do those things is really important, and it is scary.

So the next morning, we get in the rental car, and we've got one destination that we're going to hit during the day, and then we're going to stop at a place at night.

The destination we're going to hit in the day is the Blarney Castle.

You got to go to the Blarney Castle because it's in Cork, which is the city we're in, and also because you have to kiss the Blarney Stone because that's what you have to do.

It's just a rule, okay? We go to the Blarney Castle, and

at first, it's a little, it feels, I mean, the whole thing does feel kind of touristy, even though, I mean, it is a castle and all this stuff, but it's really, it's like you're paying your money, you're doing a thing.

They're getting in, they're getting out.

There's a river that runs right through the middle.

I mean, it was just so gorgeous.

What are we talking about today?

Blarney Castle.

Yes.

Blarney Castle, which has a history going back hundreds of years, so I'm confident we'll find some terrible history in there, as well as the spooky and mysterious things.

I went there as a teenager, and I did something that sounds kinda weird.

What did I do?

It definitely worked for you.

But the Blarney Stone is only one part of this very cool place, so let's learn some things.

They'll be then going up to Cork, Ireland, and Cork is almost always a must-stop when I have clients going to Ireland.

This is where you can go and do an excursion to the Blarney Castle and the gardens over there.

They're also stopping at Liverpool in England.

So when I think of Liverpool, I think of The Beatles, but there's also a lot of other areas in history to go see.

Dude.

Blarney Castle, been there, kissed the stone and all that.

Never been there.

Because that's

Well, let me explain it to you, because the ceremony plays a very important part in the story tonight.

Blarney Castle is an imposing 15th century ruin a few miles outside the town of Cork.

The castle is many stories high, and in the foremost tower, the famous Blarney Stone is situated.

What's supposed to be the point in

now, now, now, Mr. Bartell, let me tell you the story from the beginning.

Sherlock Holmes and I were staying in the city of Cork, where the great manager solved the singular affair which the local press had referred to as the leprechaun murders.

A few days before our departure for England, we paid a visit to Blarney Castle.

I must confess that I had a certain desire to test the miraculous powers attributed to the Blarney Stone.

From the Mutual Broadcasting System, this is The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, episode 210, "The Adventure of the Blarney Stone," first heard March 18th, 1946.

Visiting Cork, Blarney Village, and Blarney Castle shortly after the holiday, Holmes and Watson meet the abrasive English businessman Geoffrey Hankin.

After a pub quarrel leads to a wager involving the castle's famous stone, a fall from the ramparts leaves Holmes to consider whether accident is the whole explanation.

Dennis Green and Anthony Bausch wrote this original radio play, produced by Harold Kemp.

Oh, yes, Doctor, though I've never understood exactly what it meant.

Well, let me explain it to you, because the ceremony plays a, a very important part in the story tonight.

Blarney Castle is an imposing 15th century ruin a few miles outside the town of Cork.

The castle is many stories high, and in the foremost tower, the famous Blarney Stone is, is situated.

CHAPTER VIII.

Nora's friend Molly had just got home from a long journey.

At least it seemed a long one to Nora, who had never been farther away from home than the lakes of Killarney.

Sure.

It seems as if these big wheels must be turned by the fairies," she said to Nora, as she told her little friend of what she had seen.

It was all very interesting, but Nora liked best of all to hear of Molly's visit to Blarney Castle.

She asked her to repeat it over and over again.

I don't trust him a bit, remuttered Tibbs, and I may never get another chance to cut a real head off, he said regretfully.

oh you two dears cried coppertop beside herself with joy you're both positively victoria cross heroes i'm terrifically proud of you if i wasn't so upset about my poor old spoilt wings i could almost cry with happiness funny things girls remarked tibbs feeling awkward at being regarded as a hero let's find another head this sward's too sharp to waste come on kid a wee and off he raced boys are funny i should think remarked coppertop fancy leaving me like that when we've only just found each other oh i do wish i had a baby to squeege at this moment she glanced down and there she beheld smiler smiling too with all her might oh i do love you i do cried the child impulsively and seizing the surprised camel in her hands she kissed her fondly as this happens miss smiler heaved a deep sigh and became just a little bronze camel once more chapter twenty two CHAPTER XXIII The December Day is Almost Theirs yes i guess i'll fix you up with a december day all right answered the genial north wind in response to the entreaty of the children for shortly after their fight with the clerk of the weather there came a gentle warm breeze which they felt sure must be the north wind and finding that this was so coppertop and tibbs implored his aid in their long search for a december day oh you dear exclaimed coppertop scarcely able to believe their good fortune the address is chesney grange near mount dadanong australia she added lest the precious december day should go astray the world added the north wind with a smile bless you i guess i know all australia from perth to sydney and darwin to hobart i'll send the december day along to this australia of yours direct by sunbeam that's heaps faster than marconi yes but i like marconi interrupted kiddiwee with lots and lots of milk you mean macaroni stupid corrected tibbs whatever can we do to thank you cried coppertop beside herself with joy don't thank me till you get it said the north wind with a decided american accent due to the fact that he had often traveled over the united states and you don't get it till you've paid the price the price exclaimed coppertop her face falling yep everything has a price in this world dearie nothing is given away we must earn everything that is worth having and then we know how to value it i guess you've pretty well earned your wish by now and there's only one thing more to do oh do say cried coppertop anxiously well you must kiss biddy be sure or the blarney stone and then the december day will be yours and without any more explanation the north wind blew by for some time after his departure the children remained silent they were decidedly disappointed for the december day seemed as far off as ever why the blarney stone is on blarney castle said tibbs and where's that asked coppertop right away over in the emerald isle it's an awfully long way from here however shall we get there cried coppertop hopelessly now that i haven't any wings keep smiling replied the small voice of smiler the camel without the hump who now hung by a string round coppertop's neck the camel is right said a voice which seemed to come from everywhere at once always smile at difficulties they don't like being smiled at and soon get out of your way now if you take my advice yes we will cried each one of the children eagerly for they recognized the voice of dear mr adam you'll put the two wings which were cut off upon the sword of the samurai then seat yourselves upon it on the blunt side and sing smiles to-day make smiles to-morrow smiles will banish boogie sorrow smiles will help us over styles making life just miles of smiles then hold tight and see what happens trembling with excitement the children hastened to carry out the instructions of mr adam tibbs and kiddiwee fetched the sword of the samurai and laid it upon the steps of the old japanese lantern coppertop picked up her beautiful wings very tenderly shedding a tear or two unseen and placed them the wings not the tears upon the samurai's sword to which they at once became attached and commenced to quiver with life feeling that something most magical was about to happen coppertop and her brothers seated themselves upon the sword

their legs hanging over the blunt side and commenced to sing

smiles to-day make smiles to-morrow at this the sword of the samurai quivered violently and then rose several feet in the air smiles will banish bogey sorrow continued the children hardly able to sing for excitement they felt that they were in for another wonderful trip smiles will help us over stiles and now the wings began to beat and the sword moved forward making life just miles of smiles shouted the children at these last words the sword of the samurai shot forward at lightning speed with its precious burden and never stopped till they arrived at the emerald isle chapter twenty three CHAPTER XXV.

COPPERTOP KISSES THE BLARNEY STONE upon arriving at blarney castle biddy be sure tried her wiles upon the keeper most successfully and they were given full permission to enter the castle upon a dark winding staircase they went and then round the gallery of the old banqueting hall and so out on to the parapet under which the blarney stone lies pimby the flying pig got stuck in the staircase once or twice on the way up but otherwise the party reached the top without mishap upon arriving at the spot there was some argument as to which of them should kiss the stone but coppertop reminded her brothers that the north wind had distinctly told her to do so and besides tibbs being so strong and manly was just the one to hold her legs and prevent her from falling for in order to kiss the stone properly she had to be lowered over the edge of the parapet head foremost it was a very dangerous thing to do for if she fell she would be dashed to pieces at the foot of the castle the sword of the samurai lay upon the parapet and kept guard and coppertop kissed smiler hugged and kissed tibbs and kiddiwee and prepared to be lowered over the parapet of course she was nervous terrifically but she just grit her teeth and determined to do this last thing to gain her precious december day and thus to be able to greet her mummy and daddy with sunshine and beauty kiddoee grew so white and nervous that it was decided he should watch from one of the windows of the tower s but i do wish i could do it instead of cease were his last words as he went below biddy be sure mounted her broomstick and flying over the parapet she hovered under the blarney stone with her apron spread out to catch coppertop if she fell white and anxious tibbs helped coppertop over the side of the castle holding tightly to her legs until she was able to grasp the iron rail which has been put there for the purpose she was now hanging over the side of the castle upside down the blood rushed to her head and she felt terribly giddy but with great courage she held on and lowered herself inch by inch whilst tibbs held her legs in a tight grip until her head was on a level with the blarney stone to make things safer pimby the flying pig flew over also and insisted on catching hold of the coat of coppertop's pajamas which he held tightly between his teeth tibbs face was perspiring with anxiety and fatigue but he would rather have fallen to the bottom himself than have let go of those precious little ankles there was a distant rumble of thunder and a few drops of rain fell upon them coppertop's heart beat faster at the sound and she felt as though she must choke for she hated a thunderstorm besides it sounded ominously like the clerk of the weather up to his mischief again in spite of his promise it would be too terrible if he interfered now just at the critical moment she must hasten to kiss the stone without delay she was surprised to find that it had a face and that it pouted its lips to be kissed in a most amusing way coppertop wanted to laugh and then to cry and as she looked down she saw that biddy be sure with her white apron outstretched had grown to look strangely like her big four-poster bed she suddenly felt very limp and nerveless but she thought of the december day so nearly hers and with a mighty effort she raised her head forward and kissed the blarney stone there was a blinding flash of lightning a roar of thunder and to her amazement coppertop felt herself falling Tibbs still held her ankles, but he was falling too.

The castle was falling.

Everything was falling.