School: Castlecoote (roll number 6344)
- Location:
- Castlecoote, Co. Roscommon
- Teacher: Máire, Bean Uí Ghabhláin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0263, Page 224
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- (continued from previous page)Pop guns are made from alder branches. The stick is about 6 inches long, one inch is left at each end in which to make a cut half an inch in depth. Between these two cuts the top part of the alder, or stick is cut away, leaving a flat space in the middle. This is scooped out to make place for the steel.
A piece of steel about 5 or 6 inches in length is got. (sually old clocks or corsets supply the pieces of steel) and shaped as [picture shown on this page].
The steel is placed in the shaped alder as in diagram.
Little bits of sticks are fixed through the barrel of the pop gun by means of the steel. The curved steel is drawn back with the thumb and first finger - the 'bit' of stick is placed before it and it is then fixed out through the barrel when the steel is let free by removing the fingers.
Boys get great amusement in taking aims at marks on trees etc.(continues on next page)
