School: Cromadh (B.)

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   “The dietary of the the Munster Countryman in Limerick and Tipperary at least, on the "black fast" days in Lent was, up to forty years ago, as far as my personal observation and acquired knowledge goes, of a rigorously ascetic nature.”

   

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   " colouring " of tea or in the preparation of any variety of food. Bread, for example, for use these days was wet with water and sometimes potato cakes were made - to my memory a most objectionable variety of pastry. Oatmeal was sometimes mixed with water and the whitish solution or mixture got by straining the result through muslin was added to the black tea - to make it worse.

   The dinner consisted of " ling " - dried hake - and this dried fish was sometimes accused of being dog-fish, because although the dried fish always rejoiced in a shrivelled tail it never boasted a head and the victims of its consumption averred that wer its head apparent no mortal would eat it; I believe however it was hake. It was served boiled with " INGuN blairy " (?) known here in Croom as Spláthair, which in simple English corresponds, at least, to "flour dip" that is to flour mixed with water and almost boiled. When " ingun blairy ", it had some onion chopped into it. The ling was cured by salting , and was so salted, that an insatiable thirst resulted from consuming even small quantities of it. In my native place, the foal and the lambs, which I need not say were few with poor small farmers were also compelled to fast not being allowed to suck their mothers. I myself remember the mare being milked in the early morning her dug and teats being smeared with a mixture

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