On Sunday 28th May at 2pm local primary schools St Mary’s, St. Ciaran’s and Glenann P.S. participated in a project for the Maritime Festival, which is part of our Clachan Project. The venue for these activities was Legge Green. Miss Mary Blaney organised this Event with the Glens of Antrim Historical Society, Miss Blaney came out to our school last week and organised us with our games and dances.

The first thing we did was change into the ‘Period Dress’ of the 19th Century. The first performance was done by St Ciaran’s which was a traditional dance.

After the dance there was another but this time by the older children who also played games which date back many years ago.

St. Mary’s performance was traditional dances which are still used in festivals and Ceilidhs.

We did a selection of traditional playground games which are still popular now. The games we played were Hopscotch, Queenio, Donkey, Simon Says, Mary-Ann Magee and Hand-clapping Games.

Queenio is a popular playground game enjoyed by the younger generation like myself. To play Queenio you use a small ball. One person has to throw the ball to the players behind. If one person catches the ball before it drops they say ‘White Horse’, but if it drops you say the Queenio rhyme.

Donkey is also played with a ball. You throw it back and forth to different palyers until someone drops it. When this happens they then get the letter “D”. You throw the ball again until they finally drop it on the letter “Y” which makes you then a Donkey.

Mary-Ann Magee is a rhyme you sing and also dance to with a partner continually until eventually you stop.

The primary six and seven boys played marbles though it wasn’t very successful because the surface was rough.

I enjoyed the day very much and can’t wait to continue the Clachan project.

On the 28th of May 2006 we went down to Cushendall beach as part of our Clachan Project. We had to get changed into clothes that children wore in the 19th century. There were three schools doing it, St Mary’s, St Ciaran’s and Glenann.

St Mary’s did some traditional dancing and St Ciaran’s did some traditional dancing and St Ciaran’s did some skipping and dancing. Glenann children did Hopscotch, Queenio, Donkey, Simon Says, Mary Ann Magee and Marbles. These were games they played back then.

To play Queenio someone throws a ball behind them without looking and they have to guess who caught it. To play donkey you get people in a circle and you get them to throw the ball to eachother. You must try to catch it or you will be eventually out.

I played marbles with Patrick and Michael. I enjoyed playing the games. I was filmed playing marbles. When the games were finished I ran in the race. I won the race and got a bag of sweets.

Yesterday on the 28th May events of the maritime festival took place down at Legge Green, Cushendall. It was part of our Clachan Project and we had to get changed into 19th Century clothes. There were three schools taking part, Glenann, St. Mary's and St. Ciarans. St Mary's did traditional dancing. St Ciarans played games like skipping.

Glenann played hopscotch which is a game where you throw a stone onto the number you want and then you hop to it. Whoever gets to ten first wins. Queenio is a game in which someone throws a ball over their head and that person has to guess who caught it. In donkey if someone drops the ball they get a d and if they drop them again they get an o. The first person out is the person who spells donkey first. In simon says you have to do what Simon says but if he doesn't say Simon says then you don't do it.

I played marbles with Sean Paul and Michael. The rules are you have to hit the marbles out of the circle to keep them. After the games were finished I satyed on and ran in the Primary 7 race which I won. I had a good time and it was a nice day for it.

Yesterday, the 28th May at 2pm, as part of our Clachan Projec, the P6 and P7 classes dressed up in period clothing which people wore in the 19th Century, down by the beach. This was part of the Maritime Festival. We played games which generations before us played. We were surprised to realise that some of the games they played we currently play as well.

The three schools participating were Glenann and St. Mary's, both from Cushendall and St. Ciaran's from Cushendun. St. Mary's performed Ceilidh dances and other traditional dances. St Ciaran's played games and performed different kinds of skipping.

Glenann played different kinds of games. These included Hopscotch, Queeneo, Donkey, Simon Says, Mary Ann Magee, Marbles (which the boys played), Mrs Difficulty and A Sailor Went to Sea.

Everyone knows how to play hopscotch but to play Queeneo you have to nominate someone to stand with their back to the crowd. When they throw it and someone catches it, the other person has to guess who has it. Donkey is another simple game. The aim of the game is that when someone passes the ball to you, you have to catch it or else you'll get a letter. The first person to get "Donkey" is the loser.

To play Simon Says one person will ask you to do an action, e.g. "Simon Says stand on one leg", but if that person says to you "touch your nose" without saying Simon Says and you do it then you're out.

Mary Ann Magee was a game that we did not know about but we didn't hesitate to learn it. First of all you find yourself a partner. Once you have done that then you join your hands with your partner and skip forward in threes. As you are skipping in your threes you have to sing a continuous rhyme.

Marbles was a game that men mostly played but the odd woman played as well. The boys played this game while we played ours. Mrs Difficulty and A Sailor are two clapping games which we were very fond of playing. The two games have to contain a pair. Once you have your pair you have to clap your hands in a pattern and then sing and rhyme along with the rhythm of your hands.

After I got changed I stayed on for a while with my mammy and my sister Tierna. Tierna and I went on the big bouncy castle slide and after that we went on the bouncy castle. I really did enjoy my day because of all the sunshine and activities that were there. I hope that there will be something like that on at the festival.

by Aine