“The Blarney Stone”

Description

Singer meets a pretty girl on the road to Bandon, who tells him she's lonely and asks "where I'd find that little Blarney stone." He shows her, to their mutual delight. The chorus points out there's a Blarney Stone in every town in Ireland

Long description

Singer meets a pretty girl on the road to Bandon, who tells him she's lonely and asks "where I'd find that little Blarney stone." He shows her, to their mutual delight -- "He rolled me in his arms where I never had been before/Sure he's kissed the blooming roses on my Bandon Blarney Stone." The chorus lists various places with Blarney Stones, ad notes that one is found in every town in Ireland

Notes

The famous stone is located at Blarney, County Cork; according to legend, if one can stretch across a gap between two cliffs and kiss the stone, one will acquire the "gift of gab" -- that is, the "eloquence of flattery," to use Rinzler's term. The song points out that everyone in Ireland has acquired that gift, Blarney Stone or no, and the chorus tells why. - PJS

Recordings

  • Margaret Barry w. Michael Gorman, "The Blarney Stone" (on Pubs1); Margaret Barry, "The Blarney Stone" (on IRMBarry-Fairs) (on Voice01)
  • Tom Lenihan, "The Bandon Blarney Stone" (on IRTLenihan01)

References

  1. Munnelly/Deasy-Lenihan 41, "The Bandon Blarney Stone" (1 text, 1 tune)
  2. DT, BLARNSTN, BLRNSTON
  3. Roud #4800
  4. BI, DTblrnst

About

Author: unknown
Earliest date: 1926 (recorded by Shaun O'Nolan, according to Munnelly/Deasy-Lenihan)
Keywords: courting sex Ireland
Found in: Ireland