Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Come to Ireland with the Nebraska Retired Teachers Association-I did!
In 2000 I went to Ireland for my high school graduation gift from my Grandma Lashely. (Thanks Gram!) We went for 10 days and did a bus tour. I LOVED it. I wanted to move there and live there forever in a little house with a thatched roof overlooking the Cliffs of Moor. It was a very good time, and I even met a woman whose company rented all of the china to Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston’s wedding. I think my favorite place was the Waterford Crystal Factory where I got to see how glass is made, and I got to see my favorite modern artist’s workshop, Dale Chihuly.
The place I was most disappointed in was the Blarney Stone. So here is my story about my Blarney Stone experience in honor of St. Patty’s Day today.
First off, you should know the Blarney Stone is on the top of some castle watchtower, what feels to be about 8,000 feet in the air. It is actually part of a castle, Blarney Castle. Here is a picture of the castle:
In 2000 I went to Ireland for my high school graduation gift from my Grandma Lashely. (Thanks Gram!) We went for 10 days and did a bus tour. I LOVED it. I wanted to move there and live there forever in a little house with a thatched roof overlooking the Cliffs of Moor. It was a very good time, and I even met a woman whose company rented all of the china to Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston’s wedding. I think my favorite place was the Waterford Crystal Factory where I got to see how glass is made, and I got to see my favorite modern artist’s workshop, Dale Chihuly.
The place I was most disappointed in was the Blarney Stone. So here is my story about my Blarney Stone experience in honor of St. Patty’s Day today.
First off, you should know the Blarney Stone is on the top of some castle watchtower, what feels to be about 8,000 feet in the air. It is actually part of a castle, Blarney Castle. Here is a picture of the castle:
And the stone is way up at the top of that parapet.
So first you wait in this really long winding line that goes all the way up the top of said parapet. Then you get to the top of the stone and you’re like okay where is it? IT’S ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE FREAKIN’ CASTLE. I’m so not kidding. Here is a picture of the stone from the ground:
Then to make you even more comfortable with the fact you are attempting death to put your lips on something EVERY KNOWN GROSS PERSON YOU CAN IMAGINE has put their lips on, they tell you THIS is what you have to do to get to the stone:
And the person who is going to be holding your legs as you shimmy out along those iron bars over the SIDE OF THE CASTLE? The world’s oldest man. Mine looked a lot like the guy pictured here-
So I shimmy out and it is singly the most terrifying five seconds of my life. I’m gripping with all my might and ole Angus is back there loosely holding onto my legs and flirting with my grandma. I remember the stone seemed slimey. And I tried to think about other famous people whose lip juice I was sharing with, instead of the old guy that was holding my legs.
Then my grandma did it, I think I have that on video-everyone who shimmies out there has no idea just how far up they are or how much their own life really is in their hands. Then we walked down (I don’t remember that at all) and we went into the Blarney Woolen Mills and I bought my Claddah ring and my grandma bought a watch and we had some soup. The end.
Fun facts about Ireland!
Then to make you even more comfortable with the fact you are attempting death to put your lips on something EVERY KNOWN GROSS PERSON YOU CAN IMAGINE has put their lips on, they tell you THIS is what you have to do to get to the stone:
And the person who is going to be holding your legs as you shimmy out along those iron bars over the SIDE OF THE CASTLE? The world’s oldest man. Mine looked a lot like the guy pictured here-
So I shimmy out and it is singly the most terrifying five seconds of my life. I’m gripping with all my might and ole Angus is back there loosely holding onto my legs and flirting with my grandma. I remember the stone seemed slimey. And I tried to think about other famous people whose lip juice I was sharing with, instead of the old guy that was holding my legs.
Then my grandma did it, I think I have that on video-everyone who shimmies out there has no idea just how far up they are or how much their own life really is in their hands. Then we walked down (I don’t remember that at all) and we went into the Blarney Woolen Mills and I bought my Claddah ring and my grandma bought a watch and we had some soup. The end.
Fun facts about Ireland!
Also in honor of St. Patty’s Day, here are 10 things you didn’t know about Ireland, courtesy of ABC News-
More Guinness Is Sold in Nigeria Than in Ireland (Wow, shock, they must corner the market on Guinness exporting)
Playboy Was Banned in Ireland Until 1995 (Weird-but they are mostly Catholic there, I think)
In the Summer of 2007, It Rained in Ireland for 40 Days Straight (*swoons* that is my DREAM land)
Ireland Has the Fourth Largest Stadium in Europe (Well, soccer is a lot bigger then America cares to recognize around the world)
A Hospital in Belfast Is a World Leader in Kneecap Reconstruction (Again, Soccer-you need those kneecaps to run and kick…and play hacky sack, I don't know...)
Up Until Around the Early 1990s, Ireland Had a Low Per Capita Consumption of Alcohol (And then apparently Ireland got rich and people started boozing, per the article)
The Street on Which You Will Find the British Embassy in Tehran Is Named After an Irishman (Boy they are stretching it here, huh?)
Only 2 Members of U2 Were Born in Ireland (One of those SHOCKINGLY is BONO, the other is not The Edge. Haha, you can’t have another reason to hate Bono, he is NOT a liar-The Edge however….)
An Irishman Founded the Argentinean Navy (Like you do…)
Alright! Everyone have a great day, don’t enjoy too much green beer like I did that one time with Kathy-and three seconds later the entire college knew all about it. Dana High School!
Love (to be living in Ireland),
More Guinness Is Sold in Nigeria Than in Ireland (Wow, shock, they must corner the market on Guinness exporting)
Playboy Was Banned in Ireland Until 1995 (Weird-but they are mostly Catholic there, I think)
In the Summer of 2007, It Rained in Ireland for 40 Days Straight (*swoons* that is my DREAM land)
Ireland Has the Fourth Largest Stadium in Europe (Well, soccer is a lot bigger then America cares to recognize around the world)
A Hospital in Belfast Is a World Leader in Kneecap Reconstruction (Again, Soccer-you need those kneecaps to run and kick…and play hacky sack, I don't know...)
Up Until Around the Early 1990s, Ireland Had a Low Per Capita Consumption of Alcohol (And then apparently Ireland got rich and people started boozing, per the article)
The Street on Which You Will Find the British Embassy in Tehran Is Named After an Irishman (Boy they are stretching it here, huh?)
Only 2 Members of U2 Were Born in Ireland (One of those SHOCKINGLY is BONO, the other is not The Edge. Haha, you can’t have another reason to hate Bono, he is NOT a liar-The Edge however….)
An Irishman Founded the Argentinean Navy (Like you do…)
Alright! Everyone have a great day, don’t enjoy too much green beer like I did that one time with Kathy-and three seconds later the entire college knew all about it. Dana High School!
Love (to be living in Ireland),
Carrie
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