Leaving Waterford, Karl set out on his bike to Cork, the southern and largest county of Ireland bordering Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford. As reported by Karl to the Montreal Star: “Blarney Castle is only six miles from the southern capital, Cork, and the famous “Blarney stone,” which we read of in history at school is still to be found there, and it is certainly quite smooth, whether it is worked that way by people kissing it as the history tells us, remains to be seen.”

The current Blarney Castle is the third structure built on this site, commissioned by Dermot McCarthy, the King of the Province of Munster, in 1446. The castle is home to the famous Blarney stone, which, if kissed, is said to bestow upon the kisser the gift of eloquence, persuasiveness, or flattery.

Although there are several legends surrounding the origin of the stone, its kissing ritual has endured for centuries. To partake in the tradition, one must climb 127 steps to the parapet, lean back while grasping a railing 100 feet above the ground, and plant a kiss on the stone. While attendants now guide visitors through the process, in the past, daring visitors had to hang upside down with others holding their ankles to kiss the stone. This practice ended when a person lost their grip and died.

Karl's journey did not record any instance of him kissing the stone. Staying true to his path, I also declined the opportunity for the gift of gab. However, I did come across several individuals from the County of Cork who seemed quite familiar with the stone, including a man from Tipperary. He embodied the quintessential Tipperary persona - sprightly, with expressive, twinkling eyes and a lyrical voice adept at storytelling. Having had lifelong access to the Blarney stone, he undoubtedly possessed the gift of the gab.