School: Finiskill (roll number 13075)
- Location:
- Finiskil, Co. Leitrim
- Teacher: Cathal Ó Floinn
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0219, Page 389
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- (continued from previous page)firmly together by means of strong iron bolts and nuts. All that remains to be done is to put the "pins" or spikes in the harrow. There are made by cutting a circular or perhaps a square bar of iron, about 3/4 in diameter into lengths of about 8" length. These are sharpened by heating in the fire and sledging and they are then driven through the timbers of the harrow with a distance of 6" or so between each pair. The spikes are then wedged with splinters of wood and the harrow is complete.
The making of a slane for turf cutting was formerly a tedious business as the smith was obliged to flatten out a bar of iron used for making horse-shoes until it was sufficiently fla to enable him to fashion a slane head from it. Now, however he can purchase in any hardware shop pieces of iron specially suited to his purpose. They are of this shape.[DRAWING]The portion of the iron marked A will be the "wing" or cutting edge of the slane. This portion, having been heated is hammered on the edge of the anvil until it(continues on next page)
