School: Mohill (2) (roll number 8673)
- Location:
- Mohill, Co. Leitrim
- Teacher: Éamonn Bairéad
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0215, Page 132
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- XML School: Mohill (2)
- XML Page 132
- XML “Local Crafts - Candle-Making”
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- In olden times the people used to make their own candles.
There were two sorts of candles called the rush candle and the resin candle.
The people used to go out into the fields and gather very thick rushes. They would peel off all the green skin except one strip, and this strip was left on so as to keep the candle together. They would hang the rushes at the side of the chimney until they were dry.
They used to get sheeps fat and melt it in a grisset. When the fat was melted they would put in the rush and leave it in the grisset for about a minute, then take it out and cool it. When it was cool they dipped it in again. This was done several times until the candle was as thick as the ordinary candle we have now.
They were put into a big tall candle-stick made of wood. Some of the poor people used to make candles-sticks out of cow manure mixed with ashes. This used to get very hard, and the people used to bore a hole in it just the right size for the candle. these candles were called half-penny dips.(continues on next page)
- Collector
- George William Duke
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Tamlaght Beg, Co. Leitrim
- Informant
- Mrs Finnegan
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Tamlaght Beg, Co. Leitrim
