School: Maoilinn (B.), Áth Treasna
- Location:
- Meelin, Co. Cork
- Teacher: Diarmuid de Brún
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0350, Page 053
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- Children themselves are often quite inventive in the manufacture and procuring of toys. It is quite a common thing to see a boy especially, tie a piece of cord around another's waist and play "horse". Even if a companion cannot be got a child will tie a piece of string to the back of a chair which he will use as reins and thus satisfy his desires in the matter of driving. Or better still he will go riding on the kitchen sweeping brush.
The toy car is made by just attaching the cord to any kind of suitable box (cardboard, timber etc) and having all sorts of collections within go racing around the floor with it. Later as the inventive spirit develops the boys puts wheels under his box. These are made with tins of polish-boxes or thread-spools (or reels as they are always called locally.)
A toy-gun is made from a piece of the Alder-tree, the middle of which is holed by a piece of heated wire. A piece of rubber band is attached to one end. Sticks (small pieces e.g. matches) can be fired through with it. Some boys use a thread-spool instead of the Alder.
A whistler is made from a piece of Alder also. The soft middle is removed and an opening is(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Michael Jones
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Meelin, Co. Cork
