I've always heard the words "blarney stone" or "kissing the blarney stone" being thrown around.
I never really knew what it meant, so I went on and checked it out.
Blarney, according to the dictionary, is skillful flattery or humbug: empty words.
Now, that explains blarney, but that doesn't explain the "stone" in blarney stone or the kissing of it.
Well, the blarney stone is literally a piece of stone.
This stone is part of Blarney Castle's battlement, which is the top of the castle where you stand and shoot arrows from to stop the advancing enemies.
Blarney Castle is found in Blarney, Ireland.
As to why this particular stone is special, several stories have been forwarded.
Some say it was part of the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem.
Some say it was the stone that Moses struck with his staff to produce water for his people.
The most famous story, however, is also the most magical.
It was said that a long time ago, a king once saved an old woman's life.
As a reward, the old woman cast a spell on the king that whenever he kisses this stone, he will gain great powers of eloquence.
Today, tourists flock to Blarney, Ireland, go straight to Blarney castle, and kiss the Blarney hoping that after doing so, their power of persuasion will be a force to reckon with.
Now, some organizations rank the Blarney Stone as the most unhygienic tourist attraction in the world (and I get why it is), but the this stone kissers don't really mind.