School: St Peter's, Phibsboro
- Location:
- Phibsborough, Co. Dublin
- Teacher: Ss. Breathnach
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0799, Page 204
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- XML School: St Peter's, Phibsboro
- XML Page 204
- XML “The Flail”
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- This implement is now rapidly disappearing.Parts of the Flail:The Handle:- a stout ash handle about 5 feet in length and about 1 1/2" in diameter. It was usually known as the "Hand Staff". The best and most popular kind of Hand Staff was made of "Black Sally", a species of wood while being tough and durable was soft, and therefore easy ont he hands."The Soople":- The Soople which did the actually threshing was about 3' long and 1" in diameter, somewhat narrower at the tip. It was usually made up of Whitethorn. The piece of whitethorn selected was apiece pulled up from the root. It was usually placed up the chimney and left to season there before being used. It was then practically unbreakable."The Cabán".This was a piece of thick cowhide attached to the top of the Hand Staff. Another, but smaller Caban was attached to the end of the "Soople". The Caban was not nailed in; it was secured in position by several laps of wax and which fitted tightly into grooves cut in the wood."The Midgelin"The "Midgelin" consisted of a piece of eelskin or flak, preferably the former, and served to couple the(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Séamus Breathnach
- Gender
- Male
