School: Coill an tSrotha (roll number 5352)

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1. Care of Our Feet

   

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   In former times the young people did not wear boots or shoes until they were fully grown. Now the children go bare-footed in the summer and wear shoes in the winter. When bathing feet luke-warm water and washing-soda are used. This water is not thrown out at night as the people would be afraid they would disturb the fairies and that they would do some damage about the house.

   A person who suffers from corns goes bare-footed on the bog when cutting the tuf and by doing this he is cured of the corns. Another cure is to put a slice of bacon on the corns. There are many men the locality who repair shoes. They have it inherited since about ten generations back. In this district there are two men who makes shoes namely John Meeham and Frank Murray.

   Clogs are not made now but they are to be got in the shops. The leather used in the making of boots was made from a cow's hide. When the skin was taken off the cow it was sent to the tannery when it was tanned. We know that leather was made locally as there are two tan-yards in [?] were worn by some of the people.

   Some woman and me are wearing clogs about the house in the winter to keep them warm. It is known how careful the people were of their shoes by a story which is told by the old people. One hot summer's day a man was mowing in the meadow field.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. objects
      1. clothing and accessories (~2,403)
         1. shoes (~1,841)

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Hugh Gallen

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   69

   Address

   Bronagh, Co. Leitrim