School: Abbeytown Convent N.S. (roll number 15043)

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1. Food in Olden Times

   “The principal food of the people in olden times was was potatoes and stirabout.”

   

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   The principal food of the people in the olden times was potatoes and stir about. The stir about was made of Indian Meal which was imported from India. It was made by boiling a pot of water and when it was boiled the meal was put in. This was eaten of wooden patens and tin plates. Fish was also a very important food of the people, but in some houses it was regarded as a delicacy. It was only eaten on state occasions. Herrings and mackerel were sold to the people at fourpence a dozen.
   The people had plenty of buttermilk of their own because at this time there were no creameries. They drank the buttermilk out of wooden pails and everyone washed his pail in a stream of water. These pails were always scrubbed as white as snow. They had only two meals everyday, one in the morning and one at night. The one in the morning consisted of indian stir about and the one at night consisted of potatoes and buttermilk. There was a big pot of potatoes left in the middle of the floor and everyone could take as many as he liked.
   In some houses there was a table which was hung on the wall after meals. On such a table there was only one leg. At first when tea was introduced into Ireland, the women did not know how to make it properly. They would put a whole pound of tea into a pot and some

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. products
      1. food products (~3,601)

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Mr P. Ward

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Termon, Co. Roscommon