School: An Clochar, Cathair Saidhbhín (roll number 13542)
- Location:
- Cahersiveen, Co. Kerry
- Teacher: An tSr. M. de Lourdes Stac
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0476, Page 307
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- XML “Churning”
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- In older times the dairy was looked upon as being very private and more or less sacred and few members of the family save the housewife had any recourse to it. It was usually a little thatched “binny” at the rear of the farm house and it was kept spotlessly clean. When the milk had cooled it was put into the big milk-tube in which it was allowed to rest for four or five days before it was churned. The shape of the churn is round, narrower at top than at the bottom. The different parts of the churn are, the churn, staff, the lid and the “the Chribín,” When the housewife is about to make butter she scrubs and scalds the churn, the staff and the “Chribín”, then putting the milk into it and covering the tip of the churn with a clean white cloth, specially reserved for the purpose of preventing the dust from getting into the milk. Long ago when this part of the work was done it was customary to throw a little salt on the lid of the churn, making at the same time the Sign of the Cross. In the summer the churning is usually done in the morning or late in the evening because the coolest part of the day is the right time for churning. If it were done in the middle of the day when the heat is more intense, the butter would be white, very light and soft.
In the morning the family were called very early from their beds and the woman of the house put a drop of holy-water into the churn, blessed herself and struck the first “greas”. While the churn was being made the doors were kept closed so that the milk might not become cold and so cause delay in the making. After about half an hour when the milk began to change some hot water was added to heat it.(continues on next page)
