School: Balrothery (roll number 8578)

Location:
Balrothery, Co. Dublin
Teacher:
S. Mag Fhionnbhairr
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0784, Page 31

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0784, Page 31

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  1. XML School: Balrothery
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  3. XML “The Balrothery Stone Throwers”

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  1. The Balrothery stone Throwers
    This is the nickname still given to the Balrathory people. How they got the name is explained in the following story which was told by Thomas Melia who heard it from his father. When his father was a young man about sixty years ago the young men of the village played a very unusual game. The game was played with iron balls of various weights 2lb 3lb and 4lb weight. These were made in a Drogheda foundry. it was played on a straight bit of road between the Minister's Lane and Feild's . The player jerked the ball of iron under his left arm. This game required not only strenght but also a great deal of skill. A skillful player succeeded in keeping the ball on the road, whereas the unskillful thrower let the ball roll on to the grass margin. The person who threw the ball farthest in three throws won the game . The second throw started from where the bullet rested after the first throw, and the third was made in the same way.
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Language
    English
    Collector
    S. Mag Fhionnbhairr
    Gender
    Male
    Occupation
    Múinteoir