School: Carraig Áluinn (roll number 16.474)

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1. Old Crafts (continued)

   

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   The making of nails for boots and shoes gave employment in olden times, but, as nails are now made by machinery and sold in shops, the nailer's trade has died out. It is said there is still a nailer carrying on his trade somewhere in the Highlands of Scotland. The best known nailers in this district were the Gilronans who lived in Church at Carrigallen. The spot where the house and forge formerly stood is now a vacant plot just above Peter Dolan's house and on the same side of the street. It's owned by Mr. Jack Smyth, Carrigellen. Here old James Gilronan with his sons Peter and Michael carried on the trade. Another son Francis joined the British army. All are now dead and gone and it is only the old people who remember them. These iron bars called "nail rod" were sold in hardware shops and from there the nails were made. The workshop was just like a forge on a small scale. The iron rod was placed in the fire and one end was made red hot. On a little anvil it was then beaten out into a short point. This portion was then cut off at the desired length, across a sharp iron cross bar. By means of a small tweezers the hot piece of sharp iron was placed in a sort of mould made of iron and with a long iron handle to it. By means of the hammer a head was shaped onto the nail as the small bit was left sufficiently long for the head to be formed. The nail was then thrown into a trough of water to cool. Those nails for the toes of boots and

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. trades and crafts (~4,680)

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Michael Mc Donald

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   72

   Address

   Mullanadarragh, Co. Leitrim