School: Farmers' Bridge, Tráighlí
- Location:
- Farmers Bridge, Co. Kerry
- Teacher: Eileen Blennerhassett
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0442, Page 007
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- There is a forge in this district, the owners of it are the O'Shaughnessy's. Their father was a blacksmith before them. The forge is near a cross-road, there is a well near the forge, the roof of the forge is made out of felt. There is a couple of horseshoes nailed on the door. There is one fire-place in it. The bellows are made out of iron and a handle to twist it around. The bellows were built up locally by a man named John Ryle.
The smith uses many kinds of implements such as the sledge, the hammer, the pincers, and many other different kinds. The O'Shaughnessy's shoe wheels for farmers they have a fire by the side of the road for the bands to get red. Sometimes the forge-work is done in the open air when there are a lot of horses inside. The smith makes horseshoes and puts them on the horses. He makes spades, shovels and axes and mends pots and many other implements.
The sparks that fly out from the red irons go in to the water near the forge and there is supposed to be a cure for chilblains in the water. A long time ago a man named Michael Quill got a cure.
