School: Béal na Bláth, Maghcromtha (roll number 12458)
- Location:
- Béal na Blá, Co. Chorcaí
- Teacher: Seán Ó Cróinín
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0340, Page 307
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“There were two "special" women to mark the butter, the water was got from a spring well, early in the morning before the sun shone on it.”
milk- this can be avoided by milking them first and then feeding them. When filling the firkin the rich woman would prefer not to fill in May or June - she prefers to wait till harvest time when butter was scarce and fetched a higher price. The poorer farmer's wife would fill in May or June as she be glad of the chance at any time since she couldn't afford to hold over her butter till a better price would be got. This choosing times to "fill the firkin" caused much trouble and bitter quarrels.
There were two special women to mark the butter, the water was got from a spring well early in the morning before the sun shone on it. The butter took at least six changes, until the water came clear. The salt was measured in gallons, so much salt as the firkin. The butter was dyed or coloured "saffron". This "dye" was treated like tea , little leaves like tea leaves , left to drain near fire for a few hours . This was mixed on salt on to the butter. It gave a nice taste to the butter.They handled the butter as little as possible because the heat of the hands made the butter oily.(continues on next page)