Blarney

a village four miles northwest of Cork, Ireland. The name is applied also to a stream, and to a small castle in the vicinity. The inhabitants of this parish are said to be particularly versatile in the art of flattery and persuasive speech, which is accordingly called blarney from the name of the locality. A stone in the northeast angle of the castle, several feet from the top, bears a Latin inscription giving the date of erection. It is called the Blarney Stone. Whoever kisses the Blarney Stone is said to acquire the fluency of tongue peculiar to the district. The term has passed into literature. See Cork; Ireland