We called them 'Cheesers' in Belfast and they were a seasonal fad each autumn.
A hole was punched in the cheeser and a length of string or shoelace threaded through and knotted on the end.
Then we'd pair off and try to break each others cheeser.
One person would hold his cheeser dangling by the string while the other would swing at it with his.
If you made contact, you got to go again, and again until the opponent's cheeser was broken.
If you missed, your opponent got to go.
I consider cheesers right up there with marbles - or 'marlies,' as we called 'em.

Seamus