School: Ballylongford (B.) (roll number 11018)
- Location:
- Ballylongford, Co. Kerry
- Teacher: Seán Mac Cárthaigh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0403, Page 083
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- Long ago people had no oil-lamps like we have now. The usual thing they had to give light in the winter-time was by lighting long thin streaks of bog-deal which were called splinters. The light the splinters gave was dull and a terrible lot of smoke would come out of them when they were lighted. In that way they used be very unhealthy on account of the smoke.
After that time people used to make candles but in a much different manner to the way candles are made now. Every household used make their own candles from the fat of cows. The fat was boiled melted and used be in a liquid form. Then it was poured into a long, thin mould and the wick usually was made of the white thing inside in the middle of the green rushes. It was taken out and a small piece of the skin was left on in order it would not break.
That was put into the mould and it stayed in the middle of the candle. When it was hard it was taken out and after a few days was fit for use.
