Pet jackdaws kept by many school children

Your piece about John the Jackdaw (Apr 25) in Glanmire reminded me of a time when many boys at my school had pet jackdaws.

It was amazing to see how jackdaws managed to recognise their own master, whereupon they would fly down and land on some part of his body.

On one occasion the owner of a wellknown Dublin furrier, while preparing to get into his car, was playing with his keys when suddenly a jackdaw swooped down, snatched the keys and made off with them.