School: Baile Nua, Baile Mhic Cairbre

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1. Old Trades and Occupations - Smith-Work

   

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   Smithwork
   There was a great smith living in Four-mile-water sixty, or seventy years ago named Richard Dwyer. He made ploughs, harrows, iron gates, spades and bosheens for cutting turf. He made iron gates for Michael Mulcahy of Castlequarter which are still in use.
   Every Sunday after mass he used sell spades & basheens to the farmers.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

2. Old Trades and Occupations - Thatching

   

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   John Wall from the Nire was a great thatcher. He used go round from house to house working. Another great thatcher named Edmond Condon lived at Lacken near Ballybacan and often worked in this parish. They use wheaten straw and reed for thatching. Reed grows in boggy land and is thicker and more durable than straw. It does not grow in this parish but is got near Portlaw. The scallops the thatcher uses to bind the straw are made from hazel sticks split down the middle and pointed at both ends. For finish the top of the roof he uses a sugan which is drawn through thatch by a long iron bar called at Thatcher's needle.

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   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. trades and crafts (~4,680)
            1. thatching (~353)

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Mary Moloney

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Whitehousequarter, Co. Waterford