School: Kilbeg (roll number 11039)
- Location:
- Robertstown, Co. Meath
- Teacher: -
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0708, Page 233
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- There are three Blacksmiths in this district namely Joe and John Ball who work together, and Harry O Brien and John O Brien. Harry O Brien does the best trade in the district. The farmers come to him from Gravelstown and Ardamagh with horses to be shod. The tools the blacksmith works are, an anvil which is erected on the trunk of a tree; it is one and half feet high and it is one and a half feet in depth. The bellows is very big and it is behind the fire, when the blacksmith wants the fire to keep lit he blows the bellows.
There is a story told about a blacksmith named O Brien in this locality. Once a man went to the blacksmith and asked had he any cure for the tootache. The blaksmith tied a bord to the tooth and tied the other end to the anvil. While he was tying the bord he had iron rededing in the fire and when it was red he took it out and put it over to the man's face and when the man saw the red iron he pulled back his head and the tooth was pulled out with the strength of the pull.(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Patrick Cassidy
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Ardlonan, Co. Meath
