School: Castlecary
- Location:
- Ballyrattan, Co. Donegal
- Teacher: Mary S.J. Donaghy
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1117, Page 22
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- (continued from previous page)use. We make then with an instrument called a tra-hook. This tra-hook is made from a hazel rod which is bent in the shape of a semicircle at the top. The rod is about an inch thick. This semicircle is kept permanently in shape with a strong cord.
Then there is a handle at the end of it to hold it by. We put some straw on the end of the stick at the circle, and it is twisted into a rope, the one that is letting the rope out lets it out very hungry, always at the same thickness, about an inch thick. My Father makes ropes every year for the stacks of oats and hay. These hand made ropes save a lot of money and are much cheaper than buying hemp ropes.
Forging is still carried on in this locality. In the forge we can get harrows, grubbers, ploughs, horse shoes, cranes, tongs, shoeing a cart wheel and such like work. First of all, the blacksmith purchases the iron in the shop then he can beat it into any shape he likes. The blacksmith has to work very hard.
- Collector
- Arthur Peoples
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Castlecary, Co. Donegal
