Often it is Phil’s words you read here.
We both agree to the post . . .
but he often writes.
Today it is me . . . Patricia.
Yesterday we went to Blarney near Cork.
We had hoped, well actually Phil had hoped, we could go to Skellig Michael, about 12k (40 minute trip) out in the North Atlantic from Portmagee, but the boat captain said it was “too ruff,” so we went to Blarney, County Cork, instead.
I am glad!
I really wanted to come to Blarney Castle to kiss the Blarney stone.
My mom and dad (Eileen & Tom) had been a couple times or more and kissed the stone for all of us (my 4 siblings and me).
My sons, Sean and Peter, have been here and kssed the stone.
My sister, Mary, was here in June and she kissed it. She said she would not leave with out kissing the stone.
I’m really glad I got to be there yesterday and I got to kiss this stone that has some lore for my family. But beyond all the commercialism surrounding the Legends, it is rather epic event for some. I was struck with the climb to the top of the castle, (up narrow and rigorous circular stone steps.) Then to kiss the stone, one must hang upside-down over an opening looking down about 90 ft.
The kiss, however, is not casually achieved. To touch the stone with one’s lips, the participant must ascend to the castle’s peak, then lean over backwards on the parapet’s edge. This is traditionally achieved with the help of an assistant. (Wikipedia source). One woman there was from Europe. To kiss the stone was on her bucket-list. She really wanted to do it. But when she started to lie down, the fear of it overcame her. She couldn’t do it.
Phil says kissing the stone bought tears to my eyes.
Well . . .
I don’t know.
Here are some of the pictures from the day . . .
You decide.
May you know the magic of the old ones.
May you be inspired by buildings of antiquity.
May there be those whose steps before you encourage you to step on and on and on . . .
. . . and to step with grace.
May you know you are loved as much as we know we are loved.
wells-of-wellness 
Beautiful Patricia, I am so glad for you that your lips kissed the stone – continuing a family tradition and warming the link with the ancestors too…
May the kissing of the Blarney stone bring forth from your lips the truths your heart would love to speak….
Warm Celtic Blessings upon you both from Glendalough….
Slan
Mary
Thank you Mary for your lovely words. It was fun to see the castle and grounds at Blarney…they were beautiful. Can’t say the castle looked like a warm and cozy place to live! We are enjoying our last days in Kells as we prepare for the next part of our journey.
We went to the beach tonight to make a labyrinth, but the tide was in and there was no beach. Maybe tomorrow.
Blessings to you,
Patricia & Phil
Oh Patricia, how beautiful. I can believe your eyes had tears; mine grew misty just reading this! Thanks to you and Phil for sharing your remarkable journey with us.
Hi Jane and Lew,
The Blarney has been rampant in my family for generations and not everyone has kissed the stone.
Thank you for letting us know you are with us on this journey.
Blessings on you today.
Patricia & Phil
Tears of love and remembrance! Oh yes! Jan B.
Yes they were. Hope you and all your family are well.
Love,
Patricia & Phil
Our family group has enjoyed your photos and travel experiences with all of us; while you’ve been gone I’ve made some observations in our “Joys & Concerns” moment at service and have written a poem for you, here goes
“Distances”
My wee lass and bonnie ladd are over the sea
I’m sitting on the shore, they are lookin at me
Just South of St. Lawrence my tears fell like rain
In Ireland you’ll soon be singing on a train
I hear you now and it lifts me up
From across the Atlantic I have a full tea cup
As the tea cup spun in my hands as I sipped
I emptied the cup till the leaves lay flat
There is always a story of what’s left behind
Reading tea leaves is a tradition of mine
Making room for the future and all that’s new
We always thank God for friends like you.
Thanks LiLi for the poem. “Brilliant” as they would say here. It is good to hear from you.
I like your image of the tea leaves and the story left behind. You will have to tell me more about this in November.
May you see a bright future in the leaves that you read.
May God bless you.
Patricia and Phil
Patricia, I’m so glad you got to THE stone. Now your family is all connected. I did that in 1977 and it was a feat even then. I’m so glad you had a good helper. Your pictures are just lovely and I especially like the flowers you find! You look miighty cold in that last one – I pray for a little warmth for you both – Ireland seems to a cuddling country. Hugs, Fay
Hi Fay,
Glad I got to kiss the stone too. Although I read on Wikipedia that there is a piece of the stone at the University of Texas and I could have just gone there to kiss it….Now that’s not Blarney that is pure horse….you know.
May the prayers for warmth bring sunshine to Kells.
Hugs back,
Patricia&Phil
Love love love coming your way. Thanks for the great story!
I finally found this blog entry. I thought I had missed one, and it was the one prepared by Patricia! Great. Both Marlyn and I had our moment with the stone–and here am I, not even a whit of Irish about me. But I wouldn’t have left Ireland without having taken part in the tradition. We were with Erika and her first husband at the time. Rik is part Irish, so she really got a kick out of it. Like Fay, I hope, Patricia, that you have had a chance to warm up. Do consider a book from your blogs–they are so wonderfully and carefully wrought.