Maybe it was the steep and narrow staircase that spiralled up the tower. Or the idea of bending backwards like a contortionist to a crowd of onlookers. Or the thought of kissing a stone touched by the lips of thousands of others before me. At Blarney Castle, I didn't just pass up the opportunity to kiss the bluestone at the top of the tower and be endowed with the gift of eloquence; I didn't even see it. Instead, I explored the grounds of the castle, a medieval fortification that today is one of Ireland's most famous and treasured attractions. You