Kiss me I’m Irish. This popular expression, known internationally, is chanted everywhere on St. Patrick’s Day. It’s become so famous, it’s almost become its own slogan! You’ll find it on T-shirts, caps and all the merchandising items you’ll find in the island’s tourist attractions. But where exactly does this expression come from? What does it really say, and why is it so famous? Explanations.
Where does the expression “to have the luck of an Irishman?” come from? – © Pixzot
Let’s face it: in Ireland, clichés die hard! Although some of them are nice, they also attract a lot of misinterpretations, of which the phrase“Kiss me I’m Irish” is a perfect example.
One of the most dubious interpretations is that of the famous luck of the Irish. In folklore, the idea has always been to find the Irish luckier than the rest…
An idea born, not in Ireland, but in the United States: during the Great Gold Rush, when thousands of Irish people left Ireland to escape the Great Famine, hoping to make their fortune in more favorable horizons.
On the spot, many Irish found gold (although they represented a real minority within the Irish diaspora)… provoking the jealousy of other researchers of different nationalities. This is how another expression“Luck of the Irish” came about, suggesting that the Irish were luckier than the rest.
This expression was intended to be rather negative, reflecting frustration and jealousy… as if the Irish’s success had only ever happened by chance.
So, over time, the expression “Luck of the Irish” has become commonplace, almost a cliché. And in a rather insidious causal link, the phrase“Kiss me I’m Irish” has also been associated with this story.
So, for many, and given the supposed luck of the Irish, kissing an Irishman is good luck… A rather cute analysis, but it has nothing to do with the true origins of the phrase“Kiss me I’m Irish“.
But then? What’s the real story behind this expression? To avoid unbearable suspense, here’s the official explanation:
Blarney castle – © csbphoto
Forget the gold rush. The exact origins of Kiss me I’m Irish go back much further, to the time of Blarney Castle in County Cork.
At the top of one of its towers stands a centuries-old stone, the bearer of countless legends. Known as the “Blarney Stone”, it still attracts thousands of visitors today, who come to take part in a strange ritual.
Because, according to legend, anyone who kisses this stone (upside down and suspended in mid-air, please) will be endowed with the gift of eloquence. A belief rooted in a 15th-century myth!
The eloquence stone at Blarney Castle – Cyril Doussin – cc
The legend of the Blarney Stone dates back to the 15th century. It tells the story of how Cormack Laidir MacCarthy, a local lord, prayed to the goddess Clíodhna (Queen of the Banshees) to find a solution to some legal problems.
The goddess Clíodhna, in her great mercy, offered MacCarthy an unusual piece of advice. She revealed to him that the secret of eloquence, an invaluable weapon in any legal debate, could be obtained by a seemingly simple act: kissing the first stone he came across on his way to court the next morning.
MacCarthy, putting his faith in Clíodhna’s words, followed this enigmatic directive to the letter.
When the fateful day arrived, MacCarthy kissed the first stone in his path, in accordance with divine advice. Armed with the new eloquence conferred by the mystical kiss, he made his way to court.
To his own surprise and that of others, his plea was so convincing, so elegantly formulated, that he won his case hands down. Convinced of the stone’s magical power, he decided to give it a place of honor in his castle, sealing it to the top of his tower, becoming a symbol of the art of persuasion!
Since then, the Blarney stone has been attracting crowds, having created the maxim“Kiss me I’m Irish!”. So simple and logical, isn’t it?
Note, however, that the legend has a few variations.
One of the most popular legends has it that Cormac McCarthy, Lord of Blarney, received the stone as a gift from the Scots in 1314, in gratitude for his help at the Battle of Bannockburn. It was given to him by Robert Bruce himself!
Legend has it that the stone was a piece of the Stone of Scone, used at the coronation of Scottish kings. (Nothing less!)
A participant in the Saint Patrick’s Day celebration – Aurelien Guichard – cc
Kiss me I’m Irish has its origins in the famous Blarney stone… But nowadays, the phrase has become a commercial slogan, designed to promote culture in Ireland!
In fact, the phrase is most often used on Saint Patrick’s Day! Whether in Ireland, the United States or Australia, this expression celebrates the festive taste of the Irish and their quirky sense of humor.
The origins of this expression are less and less known to the public… But it doesn’t matter: it’s a melting pot of positive clichés about the Irish!
It remains to be seen whether kissing an Irishman will really make you lucky… but that’s another story!
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