School: Baile an tSagairt (roll number 13985)
- Location:
- Ballysaggart, Co. Donegal
- Teacher: Prionnsias Ua Coilín
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1039, Page 43
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- XML School: Baile an tSagairt
- XML Page 43
- XML “Boats”
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- The boats used by the fishermen of this district about a hundred years ago were larger than the boats of today. The timbers of theirs were much heavier and thicker and many of them had broad stems and some of them flat bottoms.They were so heavy that it usually required from twelve to fourteen men to man them and very often they were anchored along the pier as they were too heavy to pull up on dry land like the boats of today.They were made locally and most of the older fishermen seemed to be able to help in the making of them.In case some of the boards or timbers split they had several means of stanching them such asa) Mix blue till with seal oil until it is a soft paste and then place it in the crevices with a knife edge.b) Tear fine strips of grey cotton, tar them and push them in the splits with a knife.c) Place tar (archangel) in the seams. The usual method of stanching was by tarring. These boats were propelled by oars and sails. The oars were long, being from sixteen to twenty four feet in length and always required two men to pull each oar. They were box-shaped (square) where they rested on the gunnel of the boat wheras the modern ones are round. All the(continues on next page)
- Informant
- James Mc Callig
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 80
- Address
- Ballysaggart, Co. Donegal
