School: Aghakee
- Location:
- Aghakee, Co. Cavan
- Teacher: Mrs Mc Govern
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0994, Page 038
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- XML “Hurling and Football Matches”
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- Football was played locally in olden times. The game was usually played in Mr Gordons field at Graddam crossroads. It was usually parish versus parish, sometimes townland versus townland.
The score was 20. The ball was made of a twisted hay rope and was smaller than the leather ball now used. Goal posts were not used the ditches which enclosed the field were used instead and the goal space was marked on a certain part of the ditch. To score, it was necessary to put the ball across the ditch at this particular place.
On a certain day a match was arranged between two political parties Fenians and Molly Maguires. An enormous crowd of people came to see the match but the police anticipating a fight between the teams arrived and scattered the crowd. The crowd of spectators was so dense that a hare which came into the field was killed before it could find its way out.
Hurling was played sometimes also. The ball was made of twisted hay ropes also and camans made of wood were used for hitting the ball. They had crooked heads.
Handball was also played. There was a famous(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Shaun Briody
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Rockfield, Co. Cavan
- Informant
- Mr John Mc Cabe
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 86
- Address
- Latnadronagh, Co. Cavan
- Informant
- Mr Philip Lynch
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 80
- Address
- Rockfield, Co. Cavan
