School: Michael Str., New Ross (roll number 12372)
- Location:
- New Ross, Co. Wexford
- Teacher: Seán Ó Donnchadha
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0897, Page 025
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- XML “Homemade Toys”
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- Long ago, very few children went to the expense of buying toys. They got their fathers to make them for them, or if they were able they made them themselves. They made dolls and guns and were very fond of making tops. They made a very effective sort of weapon which was called a "pop-gun". These were made from long hollow reeds which are to be found near the river. A length was cut from these reeds and cleaned out inside. This was the gun. The ammunition consisted of haws which were got from the sceac. The haws were pushed into one end of the gun and the gun was placed in the mouth and the haws blown out through the other end. The men long ago made slings for their boys and showed them how to use them. The sling consisted of a long leather band, very wide in the centre and narrower at each end. A round stone was placed in the broad part and each end was bent round it. The two ends were caught in the hand, and the sling whirled round. One of the ends are suddenly released and the stone flies on it's way.
There are some old men in this town at the present day who are experts with sling.
Long ago the men were experts for making(continues on next page)
