School: Ballyhahill (C.) (roll number 10686)

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1. Homemade Toys

   

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   Home-made Toys
   In summertime, girls used make daisy chains by slitting the stems of the daisies for a small distance up and then threading them all together. Boys in wintertime made large cribs to catch blackbirds and thrushes, chiefly. Then they roasted them on a burning coal after they were plucked and opened. The cribs were built up in the shape of a pyramid, and always of elder sticks.
   A square of light sticks all tied together was first laid on the ground. Then two long strings were attached to it diagonally, and the pyramid built up inside the strings. When finished a 'bough' or bent twid supported on one end, so that the other three sides were off the ground. Crumbs were then scattered in under it to attract birds. If the birds hopped on the 'bough' the crib was sure to fall, and trap them inside.
   Out of a small square of timber which was made round at one end like a top, with a slender handle on the opposite side a table game was played. There was a letter painted on each side of it. There were the letters A. T. P. N. This little instrument was called a 'Tee-Totum' and young and old enjoyed a game of it. Each person gave the 'Tee-Totum' a spin, and each acted according to the letter that was turned up when the spin was over.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. social activities (~7)
         1. entertainments and recreational activities (~5,933)
            1. toys (~1,598)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Annetta Dalton

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Cloonlahard East, Co. Limerick

   Informant

   Mrs James Dalton

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   81

   Address

   Cloonlahard East, Co. Limerick