School: Clochar na Toirbhirte, Cill Áirne
- Location:
- Killarney, Co. Kerry
- Teachers: An tSr. M. Déaglán An tSr. Marie Thérèse
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0456, Page 163
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- XML School: Clochar na Toirbhirte, Cill Áirne
- XML Page 163
- XML “How they Made Butter in the Olden Days”
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- Up to about twenty years ago the people made all the butter they needed, in their own homes.
The cream was put into a vessel about feet high and in diameter. This vessel which was called a churn, and the cream was "churned" by means of a staff. The staff was made of wood. It was a stick with a beater attached to one end of it. The staff was placed upright in the churn and then the lid or cover, having a round hole a little bigger in diameter than that of the handle of the staff, was put on. In the way the handle of the staff was left sticking up.
In turn, each member of the family took hold of the handle of the staff and beat the cream for a certain length of time. The staff was usually worked up and down in a rhythmic manner until the cream was made into butter. When little bits of butter came up through the hole in the cover of the churn, it was a sign that "the churn was made". In the cold weather it was necessary to put the churn near the fire to keep it warm while making it.
When "the churn was made" the butter was taken out, it was washed until the butter-milk was well out of it. Then it was salted and packed into a "firkin" and was then ready for the market.
The people long ago had many "pishogues" about...(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Tadhg Ó Cuanacháin
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 89
- Address
- Carrigeencullia, Co. Kerry
