School: Curraigh (B.) (roll number 12066)
- Location:
- Curry, Co. Sligo
- Teacher: Peadar Ó Braonáin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0170, Page 0433
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- XML “Local Children's Games”
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- The games played by school children consist of "taws" (marbles) in Winter and spinning tops in Summer.
In playing marbles each boy had a number of small round "stone" marbles and one or more large glass marbles. A square is made on the ground and each boy places a small marble in a corner of the square. Each boy in turn takes his "shot" - that is, he stands a certain distance from the square, kneels on the ground, and projects his glass marble at one of the four marbles. He is allowed four shots, and he is allowed to keep any marble he hits. it is played somewhat like billards. The game is continued until some boy with a bad aim is denuded of his marbles. The children are as regular in starting those games at their proper seasons, as are the swallows arriving in Ireland. Marbles are never used in Summer (though the ground is more suitable) nor are tops in Winter.
