School: An Chúil Árd (roll number 12587)

Location:
An Chúil Ard, Co. Chiarraí
Teacher:
Seán Ó Duilleáin
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0401, Page 244

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0401, Page 244

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  1. XML School: An Chúil Árd
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  3. XML “Games I Play”

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  1. There are many games played by children both outside in summer or by the fire in winter. The following is one of the games that are played around the fire. This game is known by the name of "cat o' nine tails". This is how it is played. A dry stick is placed on the fire and is left there until the top of it is red. Then they all sit around the fire in a circle. One person takes the stick out of the fire and hands it to the person next to him saying "Take this". The person would say "what is that" and he would say "a cat o' nine tails". The other person would then say "Has it nine tails?" and the person with the stick would say "It has and ten tails and if it dies between your hands your back will be well saddled". Then he hands the stick to him. Then that person repeats the same words and so on - the stick going from person to person. The person in whose hands the stick dies out is then blindfolded and placed on his hands and knees on the floor. Then they start placing certain articles on his back. For instance they might put a book upon his back and they would then ask him to guess what was on his back. If he said a knife, the person would then say "Stay there book until the knife comes". They would keep on placing things on his back until he would guess the right
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. gníomhaíochtaí
      1. gníomhaíochtaí sóisialta (~7)
        1. siamsaíocht agus caitheamh aimsire (~5,933)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    James Relihan
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Cúil Chaorach, Co. Chiarraí
    Informant
    Mrs C. Relihan
    Gender
    Female
    Age
    55
    Address
    Cúil Chaorach, Co. Chiarraí