School: Gortnaskeagh (roll number 16321)

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1. Food in Olden Times

   

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   The people in olden times lived on two meals a day. The meals were breakfast and dinner. They got their breakfast at 10 o'clock and dinner at four o'clock. Long ago people worked three hours before their breakfast. In most cases oaten porridge was for breakfast. The dinner consisted of fish, herrings, potatoes and some milk. Very seldom they ate potatoes at both meals. Buttermilk was the usual drink. Long ago people sat around a basket of potatoes placed on the floor. They had wooden noggins containing milk as well as potatoes, butter, and salt. Their tables when not in use were hung up against the wall. There are a few tables still left in this district that can be hung to the wall. Oat meal bread was eaten long ago. This bread was made with oatmeal, water and a little salt. Fish and herring were eaten often. Cabbage and turnips were the vegetables used. People did not eat late at night. There were special foods for special occasions for instance at Christmas, Easter and Hallow Eve. The special kinds of food were flour bread, potato cake and boxty. They used to eat eggs at

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. products
      1. food products (~3,601)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Annie Gilmartin

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Tawnymoyle, Co. Leitrim

   Informant

   James Gilmartin

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   43

   Address

   Tawnymoyle, Co. Leitrim