School: Coill an tSrotha (roll number 5352)
- Location:
- Cullentragh, Co. Leitrim
- Teacher: Ss. Mac Dhorchaidh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0197, Page 460
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- XML School: Coill an tSrotha
- XML Page 460
- XML “The Local Forge”
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- There were two forges in this locality - one in Mullawn and the other in Glenfarne but they are in ruins now. One is still to be seen in Glenfarne where the people of the locality bring asses and horses to get them shod. The owner of the forge in Glenfarne came to that place from Northern Ireland. It is told that his father before him was also a blacksmith. Tom O'Neill, which is the name of the local blacksmith, shoes horses and asses, he also repairs barrows and ploughs. The implements the blacksmith uses are - a bellow for blowing the fire and increasing the heat, a hand hammer for driving nails, an anvil for barring the shoes resting on while turning them, a rash and file for paring the hoofs of the animals, pinects for withdrawing shoes from animals and a tank for holding cold water. The forge water is said to cure warts. The old people say that if a splank flew at you in the forge that there is a lot of money coming to you. This forge is of an oblong shape. He shoes cart wheels on a big fire out in the open air and when he has it shod he throws water on the wheel to cool it and contract the iron rim. The water he throws on the wheel is used for dogs having fits.
- Informant
- James Mc Hugh
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 14
- Address
- Sranagross, Co. Leitrim
