School: Finiskill (roll number 13075)
- Location:
- Fionasclainn, Co. Liatroma
- Teacher: Cathal Ó Floinn
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0219, Page 387
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- (continued from previous page)under the stone platform already mentioned and is not visible except when the smith wishes to effect some repairs upon it. The beam, when pulled down nearest to where the fire is situated, works with the action of a lever and when the chain attached to its further end pulls up the lower part of the bellows a stream of air is forced into the fire, making it glow and blaze up.
In the course of his work the smith uses a sledge, a hammer, a steel spike for making holes in the shoes, an anvil, a knife, a rasp or rough file for "dressing" the horse's hooves and an iron tripod.
The latter is used for resting the animal's front, fore feet while the smith pares the horses with his rasp.
There is also a stone through fall of water in the forge in which the shoes are cooled before putting them on the animal's feet. He shoes horses, asses, mules and jennets. No smith in this district shoes cattle nowadays but an old man once told me that he had heard his father speak of oxen which used to work on the land being shod. He could give me no particulars as how the shoes were made to fit the animals cloven feet.
The smith makes many farm implements.(continues on next page)
