School: O'Brennan, Baile Mhic Ealgóid, Tráighlí
- Location:
- Tonreagh Lower, Co. Kerry
- Teacher: Pádraig Ó Loingsigh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0444, Page 434
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On this page
- Micky Reidy (Kilmore Rathanny) says:-
A cradle bird is made from elder branches and sticks and twigs. First of all, a frame is made of elder. Four strong sticks are selected. Holes are made in two of these - near the ends, and the other sticks are put through these holes to form the frame. Then four long twigs of equal length are selected and made into loops and tied at the top. The bottom of each loop is put round a corner of the frame. then sticks of lessening length are placed and fitted into the twig loops until the top is reached. When the cradlebird is then nice and firm a large twig bow is got and shoved into 2 adjacent corners of the underneath frame. A gabhlóg is placed against the raised frame and the twig is inserted underneath the frame to hold it up and the other end of the 6" twig is placed inside the twig bow in such a way that the lightest weight on the bow knocks the cradlebird which falls down on the trapped bird. Blackbirds, thrushes, and robins are all caught in this way especially during snowflakes.
- Collector
- Michael Reidy
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Kilmore, Co. Kerry
