They say that kissing the Blarney Stone will give you the gift of eloquence. And it’s a good thing, because you will want to tell everyone about this roadside attraction: the Blarney Stone in Shamrock, Texas…that’s right, Texas, not Ireland.
Blarney Castle, just outside of Cork, Ireland, is home to the famous Blarney Stone. Legend says if you kiss it, you’ll be blessed with the gift of gab.
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How did a piece of Blarney Castle end up in the panhandle of Texas? The fragment was brought to Shamrock in 1959 after it was “accidentally” knocked off of the original. Local leaders persuaded Ireland officials to ship a piece to them in exchange for promotion. Its arrival was met with resistance from some Ireland locals and protection from the Texas Highway Patrol and the Texas National Guard.
The Texas Blarney Stone is encased in a concrete pillar that has been painted Irish green and decorated with a painting of the Cork castle. The roadside attraction was found for many years in Elmore Park but moves to Main St. in 2016 where you can find it in Blarney Stone Plaza, along with a plaque describing the town’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, and a fun Welcome to Shamrock sign (complete with a leprechaun).
While you’re there head down the street to find a more another more photo-friendly but definitively less authentic fake Blarney Stone.
There are even more things to see in Shamrock, Texas! Check out these other Texas Route 66 attractions in town: the Texas-Shaped Monument, the Shamrock Mural, the Big Red Cowboy Boot, and the Conoco Tower Station and U-Drop Inn Café.
And if you’re looking to spend the night in town, you have to stay at the Shamrock Country Inn motel or the Western Motel!
Irish folklore says “you will never be at a loss for words” after kissing the Blarney Stone (also known as The Stone of Eloquence). Here in Shamrock, Texas, some of our locals swear their luck changed for the better after kissing this section of the Blarney Castle Stone here at Shamrock’s Blarney Stone Plaza.
How did a section of Ireland’s Blarney Stone end up in Shamrock, Texas?
In the late ’50s, Shamrock local leaders were successful in persuading Ireland into shipping a section of the famous stone to our Irish city. Promises were made (and who knows what else) to promote Ireland and the legend of their famous mystical stone in this part of the world. News leaked that there were certain factions in Ireland that were against any part of the stone leaving its homeland. For that reason, our prized piece of the Blarney Stone arrived in Shamrock in 1959 escorted by guards and an armored truck.
The origin of the stone at Ireland’s Blarney Castle is still a mystery today.Some say it was Jacob’s pillow brought to Ireland by the prophet Jeremiah. Others say it was brought to Ireland after the crusades. Biblical historians also theorize it could be the stone that gushed water after being struck by Moses, giving it mystical powers.
May the luck of the Irish be always with you & thanks for visiting Shamrock’s Blarney Stone Plaza.
Photos of Blarney Stone Plaza in Shamrock, Texas
