School: Rassan
- Location:
- Rassan, Co. Cavan
- Teacher: Agnes Shaw
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0993, Page 254
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- XML “The Potato Crop”
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- The growth of the potato is very important in this part of the country. It is also an important item of our food. There are different numbers of acres put under potatoes according to the amount of land the farmer has. The different varieties of potatoes are "Arran Banners", "Kerr Pinks", "Champions" and "Arran Victors". Long ago starch was made from potatoes for stiffening linen.
Early in Spring the ground is ploughed and harrowed and the ridges are marked. Then the manure is spread out and the potatoes are left down on top of it. This is known as "dropping and spreading". Long ago ploughs were made of wood but nowadays they are made from steel.
The people assist each other by lending their horses to plough and harrows the ground. During the Summer months great attention is paid to the potato crop. They are sprayed to keep away a disease known as the blythe.
There is still an old wooden plough to be seen in the townland of Garrynoher the property of Mr Micheal Reilly.
- Collector
- Kathleen Conlon
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Carrickatober, Co. Cavan
- Informant
- Mr Micheal Reilly
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 80
- Occupation
- Farmer
- Address
- Ballyjamesduff, Co. Cavan
