School: Duleek (B.) (roll number 6554)

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1. The Weaving Industry of Duleek of Former Times

   

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   The Weaving Industry of Duleek of Former Times
   The weaving industry of Duleek has long been a thing of the past. There was a time when in almost every house in the village there was a loom or more upon which materials were to be woven. As time passes by one would think it was a factory at work with the loom going. In Larrix St. alone there were up to thirty looms. They used to work from 5 O’clock in the morning till 11 O’clock at night. In Tierinan’s house in Cullingan St. there were as many as six looms. It was called the hand-loom weaving. Harness – ticking and bed-ticking were the materials made. They would weave shirting and towelling and carpets. There was a spinning wheel for winding the yarn.
   The man Peter Whearty who gave me this information was not able to tell when it first started in Duleek. But he said it must have been many many years ago. He remembers his father saying that in the time of the mail coach he often walked to Dublin in connection with the loom-weaving. He was what was called a master-weaver, a man of no education, but still was able to keep the books of account necessary. His son Peter remembers seeing dyers of books, account books one of which he thinks he still has. He is to let me see that book if he can put his hand on it.
   They used to buy the yarn in Drogheda in Ushers Mill. This yarn could be white, and would be dyed the colour wanted. That used to be wound in the looms

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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)
            1. spinning and weaving (~482)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Ronan Ó Braonáin

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Duleek, Co. Meath

   Informant

   Pete Wheary

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   67

   Address

   Duleek, Co. Meath