School: O'Brennan, Baile Mhic Ealgóid, Tráighlí
- Location:
- Tonreagh Lower, Co. Kerry
- Teacher: Pádraig Ó Loingsigh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0444, Page 459
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- (continued from previous page)the apple with their mouths and the person who succeeds finally gets the apple. Sometimes they have to go around a tub which is placed on the middle of the floor and strike the tub for every round up to 20 or 30, or 50 and then at the last round they have to bit the apple with the stick In doing this they sometimes are so dizzy that they cannot even see it If they hit the apple it is theirs.
The apple is sometimes placed in a tub of water and the children have to dive for it. If they bite it under water it is theirs. Many more games like this are played with the apple.
Other games are played with beans - which are placed on the heated flag of the hearth near the fire. The 2 beans are supposed to represent a boy and girl. If they remain on the heated flag without "jumping" - they will get married but if one of them jumps it means he or she will not marry the other.
Three saucers are placed on the Table - earth in one water in the other, and a ring in the 3rd. A person is then blindfolded and led to the table where the saucers have been changed and if he puts his hand into the water it is said he will "cross the sea", if in the earth "he will die soon, if in the ring he or she will get married soon.
Not least of all the games is the eating of the barmbrack which contains a ring (marriage), a bean (wealth) pea (poverty) a stick (to beat your life's partner), rag (nun or priest) Everybody eats a bit. Sport in finding out who gets each separate thing.
