School: Baurnafea, Paulstown (roll number 807)
- Location:
- Baurnafea, Co. Kilkenny
- Teacher: Sean Moffat
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0861, Page 333
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- XML “Cluichí a Chleachtann Muintir na hÁite seo - Jack Stones”
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- Another game handed down from grandmother's time is "Jack Stones". This is played only by the girls. Each girl gets five small pebbles and kneels at some level flag or stone. They then throw to see who plays first. The five pebbles are held in the palm, tossed in the air and caught intoto, on the back of the palm and fingers. The girl does this three times in succession. If she does it with letting one stone drop she is 15 If one stone is dropped in any of the three tosses she is counted as 14; 2 stones dropped - 13; and so on. The highest has the honour of starting the game proper. Taking the five pebbles she tosses them in the air, and catches them on the back of the palm and the backs of the fingers. She is now "five in her ones". Going through the same procedure she is "ten in her ones". if she succeeds in catching th five pebbles the third time she is "fifteen in her ones" and if successful the fourth time she is "20 in her ones" and the second girl tries to do the same. If however she fails to get safe to "20 in her ones" she stays at "10, or 15 in her ones" until her turn comes again. Following the same procedure the girls become "20 in their halves; in their wholes; in their threes; in their fours; in their one bob; in their two bob; in their three bob; in their four bob; in their egg; and finally in their High Castles."(continues on next page)
