School: Cnoc an Doire (B.) (roll number 2418)
- Location:
- Knockaderry, Co. Kerry
- Teacher: Domhnall Ó Seaghdha
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0460, Page 129
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- Hurling and Football Matches
Long ago there was a football played between Firies and Ballymacelligot. There were twenty one men on each side. The biggest and strongest men were picked. The players played in their ordinary clothes. Some of them took off their boots while they played. There was not any referee. A dogs skin was well dried and sown in a round shape. A pigs bladder was well dried and rubbed and put into the dog's skin. This was the ball they used. It was a little smaller than the ordinary football. Two stones were stuck down on the ground. On the outside of these stones a little further away there were two more stones. Through the middle space the goals were scored and through the side spaces the points were scored. When the ball went out across the sideline it was called a "cúil". When the match was playing for about an hour and a half a row started between two players. Then they gathered in and the match finished up in disorder. It was not called a football match at all but rough and tumble.
Stone throwing was a great pastime by the people long ago. It was usually called casting. Also pitching money, buttons and spinning tops
