School: Ballyheerin (roll number 16279)
- Location:
- Ballyheerin, Co. Donegal
- Teacher: Aodh Ó Frighil
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1090, Page 182
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- XML “Boxty”
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- (continued from previous page)man and the people of Umricam put a bet on Mac Macken. The contest began. The stranger was the first to get the burden on. He carried it for ten yards and then let it fall to the ground. Charles Mac Macken then got the forty stones on his back. He carried it with perfect ease forty yards and then he turned round and called in a strong manly voice "Where will I leave it?" The men of Umricam answered answered "There." Then Mac Macken left he sack on the ground as careful as if he were handling eggs.A great cheering came from the people of Umricam. They won the bet of two pounds and they gave Mac Macken his fill of whiskey to drink.
- In the olden days the people were very poor and they could not afford to buy much flour as it was very dear, so they made 'boxty' or bread from potatoes.They got the potatoes and skinned them. Then they grated them with a grater which was made from a tin such as a can lid. They bored it with an awl or nail until they had it like a riddle with holes. Then they rubbed the skinned potatoes along the rough edge of the tin and made it into a substance like pulp. When they had as much pulp as would make a scone they put it into a clean cloth and wrung the water out of it by twisting the cloth round and round. A dry starchy substance was left in the cloth. This is the stuff that they used(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Aodh Ó Frighil
- Gender
- Male
