School: Bán-Tír (B.) (roll number 2803)
- Location:
- Banteer, Co. Cork
- Teacher: Seán Ó Síothcháin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0361, Page 568
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- Chicken-come-plock - (usually for girls) Each girl or boy is named "one o'clock", "two o'clock", "three o'clock" etc. up to twelve o'clock. The leader is the "old hen", and she puts all her chickens in a row behind her, each placing her hands, about the waist of the player in front of her. Another player "the old hag", stands out, and faces the "old hen". The hen and her chickens then repeat
Chicken-come, chicken-come-plock,
You stole my buttermilk every drop;
If I had more, I'd sell it asthore,
What time is it now "old hag"?
The old hag then replies - one o'clock, or two o'clock, or five o'clock perhaps, and she does her best to take the chicken so named, from behind the old hen, who guards then all with outstretched hands. When the old hag succeeds, she places that chicken behind herself. The game then starts again, and the same words repeated. When the old hag has sufficient chickens taken to her own side, the game ends with a "Tug-of-war"
- Collector
- Donal Lehane
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Banteer, Co. Cork
