Irish Games that Children Play

The games listed below were found on a website listing games that the author played in the streets of Dublin, Ireland growing up.

(www.users.bigpond.com/kirwilli)

One child is Mr. Fox and the other children line the wall. Mr. Fox stands about 10 feet away with his back turned. The children in the line say, "What time is it Mr. Fox?" He replies, "one o’clock." Then the children walk slowly toward the fox, repeating the question and answer until the Fox says, "Dinner time." The fox chases everyone back to the wall. It anyone is tagged, he/she is now the Fox.

Children sat in a circle with one child on the outside holding a crumpled piece of paper (the letter). This child walks around the outside of the circle while everyone sings with their eyes closed… I sent a letter to my mother and on the way I dropped it. Some one must have picked it up and put it in their pocket. After the song, everyone looks behind them. The person with the letter behind them chases "it" back to the original seat.

It is like Duck Duck Goose.