A Dublin primary school is this week aiming to smash the world record for Christmas cracker pulling.
The Harold School in Glasthule is gathering pupils, parents and teachers for the record-breaking attempt this Friday afternoon.
The 662 pupils in the school have been busy crafting their own crackers in classrooms over recent weeks – making sure to use recyclable or compostable materials.
"Really proud"
School principal Dervla Nic Mhathúna said: “I am really proud of everyone in the school community, especially our pupils, for all their determination to get this event off the ground.”
She praised the children for the “creative ways they have tried to involve everyone in the preparations, big and small working together to make the event a sustainable one, where the materials used have been carefully selected so they are recyclable or compostable.
“They have gained valuable skills along the way as they turn something ordinary into a slice of Christmas magic.”
Christmas crackers
A previous record for the most Christmas crackers pulled simultaneously in one line was also set in Dublin when more than 600 people gathered at the Grand Canal Docks in 2011 to pull 798 at once.
That record was then broken in 2015 by the Harrodian School in Barnes in England, which lined up 1081 people to pull crackers in a chain.
The pupils at the Harold School now aim to smash that record again by lining up at least 1,200 crackers in a field outside the school this Friday.
The event will also feature lots of festive cheer, music, treats and some surprise guests on the day - with the pupils set to have their crack at the record at midday.
