blarney n : flattery designed to gain favor [syn: coaxing, soft soap, sweet talk] v : influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering; "He palavered her into going along" [syn: wheedle, cajole, palaver, coax, sweet-talk, inveigle]

English

Etymology

Named after a legendary magical stone in Blarney Castle, Ireland that gives the gift of eloquence. See also Blarney Stone.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɑː(r)ni

Noun

1. Ability to talk constantly.
2. Mindless chatter.

   He is full of blarney.

3. Persuasive flattery or kind speech. The ability to tell a man to go to hell, in such a way as he will look forward to the trip.

Verb

1. To use blarney.

Blarney (An Bhlárna in Irish) is a village in the south of Ireland, located 8 km northwest of Cork, Republic of Ireland. It is the site of Blarney Castle, home of the legendary Blarney Stone.

Kissing the Blarney Stone

By kissing the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle, it is claimed that one can receive the "Gift of the Gab" (eloquence, or skill at flattery or persuasion). The legend has its roots in the response of the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth I to Cormac Teige McCarthy's attempt to blandish his way out of a difficult situation, during negotiations of the takeover of the Blarney Castle by the occupying English forces. Cormac himself was the King of Munster, living in the Blarney Castle around the 14th century. The stone itself is rumoured to have been created by a witch during the Middle Ages.

Tourism

Blarney village is a major tourist attraction in County Cork. Mostly people come to see the castle, kiss the stone, and go shopping.

The centre of the village is dominated by The Square - a grass field where Blarney locals and the townpeople from Cork City journey to during the summer. Activities include soccer, sunbathing and other recreational activities.

Various attempts to beautify the square over the years have always been met with stiff objection from the locals. Previous uses include a market square

Transport & communications

• It is proposed that the town will be connected to Cork City and the rest of Metropolitan Cork by train in 2008.
• The nearest airport is Cork Airport.
• Blarney formerly had its own narrow gauge railway station. The Cork and Muskerry Light Railway linked Blarney with Cork; it opened in 1887 but closed on 29 December 1934.

Education

Scoil an Chroí Ró Naofa Boys’ National School

This is a Catholic boys’ primary school catering for approximately 154 pupils. Situated in the historical village of Blarney, it provides a child-centred education as laid down in the Primary School Curriculum of the Department of Education and Science.

To nurture responsible, capable, caring individuals in a Christian environment who respect themselves and others. Within a positive, happy, safe and healthy school atmosphere we will enable each child to develop his self- esteem and achieve his full potential.

Blarney Boys' National School has stood in its present site for more than a hundred years. In 1898 Sir George Colthurst, a wealthy benefactor, donated the site to the then Blarney village school. The school was founded under the patronage of the Catholic Diocese of Cloyne and built originally to accommodate 450 boys and girls from the village. Many changes have occurred since the school's ambitious opening.

The school's first headmaster was a Mr. Eugene Cotter who, with two assistant teachers, was responsible for 165 boys and 180 girls. Many of the children attending the school had well known Blarney names such as Kiely, Forrest and Murphy.

In 1974, due to an increase in numbers, Scoil Íosagáin na gCailíní was built to accommodate the girls of the parish whilst the boys received a brand new extension in 1986. The school currently has a teaching staff of seven who continue to provide a modern and positive education for the boys.

Ní neart go cur le chéile ()

The school is used by the Blarney Brass And Reed Band for weekly rehearsals

See also

• List of towns in the Republic of Ireland

External links

• Aerial view of Blarney village on Google maps
• Website of Blarney secondary school, Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal
• Blarneytown.com
• Website of the Blarney Brass and Reed Band
• Website of the Blarney Toastmasters Club, Cork
• Official Blarney Castle website
• Blarney Boy's National School Website
• Blarney Woollen Mills Website

adulation, banter, blandish, blandishment, bunkum, cajole, cajolement, cajolery, compliment, con, eyewash, fair words, fawning, flattery, grease, honeyed phrases, honeyed words, incense, oil, palaver, praise, pretty lies, soap, soft soap, soft-soap, sweet nothings, sweet talk, sweet words, sweet-talk, sycophancy, wheedle, wheedling