School: Árd-chill

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1. Threshing in Olden Times (continued)

   

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   the "hand-staff" of the flail was turned to the straw and with it the straw was piled up in the other end of the barn. Or if the day was fine the straw was thrown out the door to be later ricked in the haggard for thatch or cattle-fodder.
   The most noted flailsman of this district was
   John Hyuland
   Aughadreena
   Carrickaboy.
   With a comrade he threshed fire score of stooks in a day. He was able to thresh as much in a day as another man would in two days.
   He had a beautiful voice and a wealth of sweet sad ballads and he nearly always sang while he worked.
   The flails made music as they 'tapped' 'tapped' on the barn floor and altogether threshing made a very pleasant stir in the farm-yard.
   Threshers had dinner at mid-day, & then put off having tea until the days' work was finished which was usually about 6 o'clock in the short winter days.
   The straw left after threshing with the flail makes better fodder than straw left behind after threshing-machines.
   At the present time straw is used principally

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. agriculture (~2,659)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Ben Galligan

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Ardkill More, Co. Cavan