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School: Cléireacháin, Cluain Meala

Location:
Ballyclerahan, Co. Tipperary
Teacher:
James Bates
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0567, Page 163

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0567, Page 163

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  1. XML School: Cléireacháin, Cluain Meala
  2. XML Page 163
  3. XML “The Potato Crop”

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  1. The Potato Crop

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    Every farmer grows potatoes on his farm, but when 3 acres used to be sown long ago, only 1 acre now-a-days. The amount sown scarcely ever varies. The ground is prepared either by the farmer himself or their servantman. The ground is ploughed and harrowed and made into drills. The manure is then put out in [?] and spread. The potatoes are then cut in "sets" and sown 12 ft. apart. The drills are then closed. Ridges are still made in the small holdings and cottage plots. Each ridge is about 2ft. wide, sod cut and turned in at each side, 3 sets put in each ridge in the width. Furrows then dug and clay shovelled in on the ridge. Spade used in their making.
    Wooden ploughs were used in the locality over 70 years ago. These were made by the local smith named Perkins. None now are to be seen. Spades made locally also long ago, and are now bought in shops.
    When sowing or picking the potatoes, the neighbours help each other.
    Whilst growing, the potatoes are gribbed and wed. Then earthed 2 or 3 times. Spraying takes place during the end of June or beginning of July. They are ploughed and in October, being picked in aprons by either servant men or women and neighbours. They are then stored in the haggards in pits. These pits are 3 ft. deep, and potatoes are covered with straw first and then clay, being finally covered over with sods. Type most suitable to locality is the Champion. Other varieties are Kerr's Pinks, Skerry Champion, British Queen, Irish Queen, Up-to-Dates. Starch made long ago. Potatoes scraped into basin, water put on and stirred. When muddy strained off.
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    History Edit
    Topics
    1. activities
      1. economic activities
        1. agriculture (~2,659)
          1. potatoes (~2,701)
    Language
    English
    Informant
    William Ahearne
    Gender
    Male
    Age
    70
    Occupation
    Farmer
    Address
    Ballyveelish South, Co. Tipperary
    Informant
    Mary Ahearne
    Relation
    Grandparent
    Gender
    Female
    Age
    88
    Address
    Ballyveelish South, Co. Tipperary
    Informant
    Denis Ahearne
    Relation
    Parent
    Gender
    Male
    Age
    70
    Address
    Ballyveelish South, Co. Tipperary
    Informant
    Hanora Ahearne
    Relation
    Parent
    Gender
    Female
    Age
    72
    Address
    Ballyveelish South, Co. Tipperary