Like many unwashed, barefoot children of pre-SUV Ireland, the Late Late Toy Show was (far more than the birth of a certain Nazarene) what Christmas was all about for me. Uncle Gaybo & Star Wars merchandise (yay!), Wooden Toys, Billy …

Today's manky journey takes us back to a mist-enshrouded lost world that time forgot. A land where Beastmasters stride about like be-loin-clothed titans while barbarians drink mead from dragons' skulls. A time of wizardry, necromancy and smashing …

Many longish years ago, when I was but a young fella, I had (like many children) a number of persistent fears. The most dominant of these concerned, a) My parents untimely death, and, b) The catastrophic …

Even by the modest standards set by previous entries in the Manky Toy archives, last week's featured object (Super Pedestal Ball) represented something of a new low - failing (as it did) on almost …

As regular readers may have gathered, my enthusiasm for the mighty game of snooker is long-standing. While weak eyes and a total lack of diligent practice have consigned me to life as a …

Ah, yes…another glorious Monday on the banks of the Shannon. From where I lie all I can hear are birds a-twittering, lawnmowers a-mowing and insects a-buzzing…

I'm only relying on auditory prompts however for (like a pale, wan, consumptive Victorian child) …

As promised, I have returned from Venice with a Venetian manky toy in tow, though it took a fair amount of concerted effort to find anything suitable. If coloured glass and porcelain masks are your …

When I started this project I imagined that the supply of good bad quality toys in Limerick would be practically inexhaustible. The only struggle, I thought, would be deciding what to omit. However, despite …

The year: 2016 A.D.

The Place: New York City

For almost 30 years the city's zero tolerance policy has kept a lid on the forces of crime, vice and depravity that once overwhelmed it. That is, until …

It's strange how life can frequently, as Ned Flanders memorably described it, "put the dink in coinkydink".

During a recent(ish) post on the contents of my 1986 "Letts Boy's Diary" (the one with the fetching vector-graphic design), I described the …

Though Manky Toy Monday usually requires that I put my adult self in touch with my inner small boy (that part of me best qualified to speak on such matters), today's entry demands that I …

Further to my last Manky Toy Monday entry I offer a few observations on the heavily-articulated world of "Action Men" (or should that be "Action Mans"?).

As admitted in the comments section of that post, Action Man (AM) was - …

A little background to today's entry (which I've decided to draw from my personal collection).

While completing my MA in Winchester I first became aware of the rich browsing experiences afforded by England's plentiful …

[Disclaimer: This week's Manky Toy offering involves a little bit of descriptive looseness. First of all, I bought not one but two toys. Second of all, they really aren't that manky…in fact they're rather good. …

Today's entry in the toy-making hall of shame was, like last week's example, purchased in the marvellous crap toy repository that is Limerick's "Euro 2 Shop" (formerly "Mary's of Limerick"). Just as "Super Rorot Rorot" was a …