School: Páirc na gCrann (roll number 16042)

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1. Churning

   

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   The last few years churning is done in every house in the district. Most churns are about four feet in height. The one we have at home is the same width at the top and bottom and that is about two and a half feet. Butter is usually made twice a week in summer and once in winter.

   Strangers who come in during the making of a churn help because there is a superstition that if they did not there would be no butter in it. It usually takes about twenty five minutes to make butter. The churning is always done in this district by hand, that is, the people move the churn-dash upwards and downwards. When the butter comes to the top of the milk the people then know that it is made.

   Water is usually poured in during the process as this warms the milk and helps to make it sooner. The butter is always kept in a wooden dish. The old people have many proverbs and stories connected with churning. They say that if there was not a burned [?] put under the making of butter there would be no butter. The is also a superstition that if there was not a leaf of cabbage left on the churn lid that one of the neighbours would have the

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. agriculture (~2,659)
            1. butter and churns (~3,280)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Eibhlín Ní Bhriain

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   13

   Address

   Lurgan, Co. Mayo

   Informant

   Henry Brien

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   65

   Occupation

   Farmer

   Address

   Lurgan, Co. Mayo