School: Mullach, Sráid na Cathrach (roll number 3928)
- Location:
- Mullagh, Co. Clare
- Teacher: Proinnsias Ó Sandair
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0624, Page 082
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- In this locality the boys amuse themselves by making timber tops, cradle birds and snares.
This is how we make the tops.
Sometimes our fathers buy a new handle for a fork or a spade. It's generally too long and they cut a few inches off the top of it.
We get that piece and make a top of it. We pare it round and put a few ridges on it in order that the dorugha would not slip down. Then we got to the forge and get the smith to make a steel spear and drive it into the top. I saw a turnip top once. It was shaped round like any other top but just that there was a timber spear in it instead of a steel spear.Another famous pastime we have is the making of snares for to catch rabbits.
Snares are made plaitting two pieces of fine wire together and leaving a loop in one end. The other end is put out through the loop leaving the circle big enough for the rabbit's head to go through.(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Michael Flanagan
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Mullagh, Co. Clare
