School: Cobh Labhráis (C.) (roll number 7453)

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1. Homemade Toys

   

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   In olden times people seldom used their money in buying toys for their children as is done to-day. The children made their own toys such as -, rag dolls, "pipereen play", bugles, water pistols and whistles.
   The "pipereen play" was made from the stem of the oats and a little verse was said through it.
   "Pipereen play" if you do not play
   I will chew you up and throw you away into the deep, deep sea."
   The water pistols were made by two sticks fitted into one another and when the water was sucked in it was shot out by pressing one stick into the other.
   Hand-balls were made from the cow's hair by wetting it so as to make it stick together. In Summer the girls made daisy-chains and hung them around their necks, while the boys made snares for rabbits or cribs for birds.
   The boys in olden times used blow bubbles with clay pipes and soap, and cutting shapes of men, women and animals out of paper. The school-boys played a game called "cap of the ball" it was played by standing a cap upright so as to throw the ball into it. This was often very

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. social activities (~7)
         1. entertainments and recreational activities (~5,933)
            1. toys (~1,598)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Julia Harrington

   Gender

   Female

   Informant

   Mr John J. Harrington

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   c. 50

   Address

   Greenane, Co. Cork