School: An Craoslach (roll number 10062)
- Location:
- Creeslough, Co. Donegal
- Teacher: U. Ní Pháirce
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1076, Page 11
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“In olden times people had no lamps. They used spales of fir to give them light.”
In olden times people had no lamps. They used spales of fir to give them light. A piece of iron about a foot in length was built into the wall. The projecting part of the iron was finished off in the shape of a ring, sometimes instead of a ring there was a cup-shaped container. Into this a spale of fir was thrust lighted when required.
Daddy told me that there were other kinds of light holders called "Spindles" these were made of iron. A spindle was somewhat like this diagram. (sketch) It was usually built on the right hand side of the brace about 13 feet above the fire and it projected 15" from the wall. At the point A, it could be opened by means of a little screw - and adjusted according to the thickness of the spale of fir. The fir was usually dug out of the bog.Later on, a lamp, called a "(Smokie Lamp)" was used. This lamp was very small and dome shaped with a funnel at the top. It was this funnel that contained the round wick. The lamps were made of tin, and paraffin oil was used in them. They were placed on a hob that was built at the fire-place.
Told by
Mr. Chas. Hunter (45 years) Farmer
Cashel
Creeslough P.O.
- Informant
- Mr Charlie Hunter
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 45
- Occupation
- Farmer
- Address
- Cashel, Co. Donegal