School: Moyvore
- Location:
- Moyvore, Co. Westmeath
- Teacher: Mrs Kelly
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0742, Page 428
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- XML “Homemade Toys”
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- Boys and girls find much amusement in spare time in making toys.
Boys make guns from elder branches. They cut a piece of branch about a foot long, and fairly thick. Then they bore a hole right through it by means of a red hot wire. They pare another thinner piece of elder stick that would punch through the hole, and they fire "bullets" made with wet paper by forcing them through the hole with the Runner stick. This makes a loud report. Children cut out figures in turnips, they sometimes scoop out the centre of it, then scoop out two eyes and a mouth in it. They put a light within it so that it shows out like a skeleton of a skull.
They make slings from leather and two short pieces of stick. The leather is about three inches long. They tie it with strong twine to the sticks. A small stone is placed on the leather, and the handles are then held in one hand, the stone being kept thus in its place. It is then whirled around very quickly. One end of the handle is let go, and the stone(continues on next page)
