School: An Bóthar Buí (B.), Áth Treasna (roll number 16396)

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1. Clothes Made Locally (continued)

   

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   Cloth was made locally in my young days. My mother R.I.P. was one who made it, and I myself wore home-made cloth.
   We kept sheep in those days. My father washed and shore the sheep. My mother teased and carded and spun it.
   There was a weaver living at that time near where Glashakinleen school is now built. She took the thread to the weaver to have it woven into cloth.
   She brought home the cloth and I need hardly say it was very porous. The remedy this defect the cloth was put through an interesting process.
   For some time previous to the making of the cloth human urine was carefully preserved. When the cloth was made it was put into the urine and steeped. The members of the family then danced on it in turn. When one got tired another started. The cloth was all this time inside in the urine. It was turned from time. It took the greater part of a day to have the cloth reduced to the required consistency. It was next washed, dyed and converted into suits of clothes.
   My mother used to make clothes for us from this cloth. I remember wearing a suit of it when I was about 8 or 9 years of age.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. objects
      1. clothing and accessories (~2,403)

   Language

   English

   Informant

   John Galvin

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Teacher

   Address

   Islandbrack, Co. Cork