School: Trentagh (roll number 16331)

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1. Smith and the Forge

   

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   Smith and the Forge.
   There are about three forges in the parish. One belongs to David Torrens. His step-father was a smith. The forge is in Trainbeg. There is a wooden roof on it. The door is higher than it is broad. There is one fireplace in it on a kind of platform built with stones. Matthew McMahon has a forge near the village of Trenta. His ancestors were not smiths. There is a wooden roof on the forge. There are double doors on it. There is one fireplace on a kind of platform in it. Mr Duggan has a forge in Gartan. The bellows are made of wood and leather. There is an iron pipe at one end for the wind to go out of. There is a chain attached to the bottom of the bellows and to a wooden bar above the bellows and when this bar is moved up and down it moves the bellows and blows them. They are bought somewhere. The smith uses sledges, hammers, punches, chisels files and an anvil. Nearly all smiths shoe donkeys and horses. The smith does not make farm implements. He only repairs them. When the smith is putting a hoop on a wheel he bends the iron into the shape of the wheel and welds it. Then he puts it into a big fire, which is outside, till it is red hot and then he puts it on the wheel. He makes hinges for gates. When he is fixing a scythe he has to heat the heel of the blade to get it the right shape. He has to make an

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. trades and crafts (~4,680)
            1. smithing (~2,389)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Joseph Kennedy

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   15

   Address

   Treanbeg, Co. Donegal

   Informant

   Mr D. Kennedy

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   54

   Address

   Treanbeg, Co. Donegal