School: Doire Leathan, Grange (roll number 14843)

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1. Famine Times (continued)

   

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   oats was extensively grown in this district.

   Quern

   Nearly every house had its quern to grind the corn, which was then used as food.

   One of the stones of the quern used at our house, is now on the top of the pier of the gate here.

   Oat-cake was the bread then used, and it was lovely hot with plenty of butter, for each family tried to have a cow or two.

   A nice round flag was fixed in front of the fire and up to this the cake was placed and left to bake.

   Flail

   The corn was threshed with a flail which consisted of a handle and bóilrín connected by a tug which was usually made of eel skin.
   A few men in the district were famous threshers. They went from house to house in the good frosty weather. Out on the streets they fixed a door and on it they threshed away from dawn till dark.

   Very few use the flail now. Some scutch the corn, while most people get it done by the threshing machine which goes about on hire.

   Crops of barley and wheat were also raised here after the famine time.

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. time
      1. historical periods by name (~25)
         1. the great famine (~4,013)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Tomás Ó Cíaráin

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Lyle, Co. Sligo