Blarney Stone Will Not Go To America

Chronicle (Levin), 10 September 1949, Page 5

Blarney Stone Will Not Go To America

LONDON, Sept. 0. After an Ameriean visitor to Eire, John P. II. Hewlitt, and an offieial of tlie Irish Tourist Agency *had both issued statements to the effect that the famous Biarney Stone which stands on top of the battlements of Biarney Castle in County Cork would be taken to the TTnited States to be exhibited for the benefit of the American League, the owner of Biarney Castle, Sir George Colthurst, denied that he had agreed to allow the stone to be removed. "Neither now nor at any other time have T eonsented to allow the stone to be taken out of Treland," said Sir George. "Those fellows eome over from the States and try to persuade me. The last one tolephoned me aeross the Atlantic but I told him it was no use. Then he said he was coming over to try to persuade me. Ho came a few days ago, but I still said no, and I will continue to say it." Mr Hewlitt, when Sir Georgo's statcment was referred to him said: "Sir George has issued a statement which is the quintessence of inexaetitude." Pre viously an offieial of the Trish Tourist Agency had expressed satisfaction that Sir George had agreed to allow the stone to go to America and announeed that it would be insured for £125,000 at Lloyds before it left Ireland. It was hoped, said the offieial that several Ministers of the Eire Cabinet would travel to the TJnited States with the stone and that it would be received when it arrived there by a guard of honour from the Kew York police force." The Biarney stone, which weighs half a ton, lies on top of the 160 feet high walls of Biarney Castle. It ean be reaehed only from outside of the walls and several people have been killed in trying to kiss it. Sir George Colthurst has received many offers to buy or lease it, and on one occasion rejected an American offer to buy the whole castle and transport it stone by stone to the United States. The majority of wouldbe purehasers have kissed the stone before interviewing Sir George, but so far the gift of elorpieuce which it is reputed to confer has proved inadequate to overcome his objections to its removal.