School: Baile Theas (B.), Malla (roll number 4953)
- Location:
- Ballyhass, Co. Cork
- Teacher: Tadhg Ó Hanluain
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0364, Page 334
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- XML “Bowling”
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- Bowling is a game confined to the county of Cork. It is played on the bye-roads of the County. It was illegal under the English Paliament and anyone caught playing it was fined ten shillings. but when we got our own parliament it was permitted on the bye-rooads but not on the main-roads. It was played by men from twenty to thirty years of age during the long Summer evenings and on Sundays. The bowlpayers are very profficient in west and South Cork. It 'is played with iron or metal bowls perfectly round in the shape which weigh 28 ozs. It is played on a piece of road generally about three three to four miles in length. A match in bowling is called a 'score'. The 'score' is won by the man who covers the road in the least number of throws. a man usually walks on the road in front of the bowlers to mark the bowls and to watch where they go. This man is called a 'scorer'. A side stake about five pounds a side is uasually put down. When the bowlers come to a corner they have to throw the bowl right over it and this is called 'lofting'. A bowl is generally lofted about 880 yards.
Bowling is a very ancient game and some people tell of famous throws which were thrown by their grand-fathers. One man who was called 'Murphy the Bowler" is supposed to have 'lofted' a bowl one hundred and ten yards in his youth.
- Informant
- Mr Patrick Dennehy
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Lisduggan South, Co. Cork
