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Beyond the passageway of the Electrical Engineering Building sits a stone upon a stand. Students pass the monument daily, but few read the inscription on this small piece of clout and tradition at Texas Tech – the Blarney Stone.

According to local lore, the stone was found March 7, 1939, by a group of petroleum engineering students on a field trip. Further investigation would prove it was identical to a piece of the original Blarney Stone, which disappeared from Blarney Castle near Dublin, Ireland, in 1659.

Because the stone was found shortly before St. Patrick’s Day, students seized the special opportunity to honor St. Patrick, the patron saint of engineers. To mark the day, the engineers dedicated the monument and all engineering students were dismissed from classes for the occasion.

Dosh McCreary, then-president of the Engineering Society, announced that, upon graduation, engineers who kiss the Blarney Stone would thereby receive the gift of eloquent speech. He further added that only seniors would be allowed to kiss the stone and underclassmen would pay it the greatest of respect. The tradition continues today.

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Red Raiders don’t have to make the trip to Ireland for the gift of eloquence.
Photo by Jonathan Beltz

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