School: Cill Tártáin

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1. Churning (continued)

   

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   you notice tiny particles of butter appearing on the cover, around the cup. Then a little spring water is used to wash these tiny particles of butter into the churn. Then the dash is given a kind of slow rolling motion from side to side so that the small particles would stick together and form bigger lumps. This part of the work is done by mother, but we all give a hand at the making of the churn. Even strangers coming into the house are expected to help, as it would be considered unlucky if they didn't. It is also considered unlucky for neighbors to come into the house for a coal to take to the garden or field to redden their pipes, while churning is going on. People say they would "bring" the butter.

   The butter is then taken out of the churn and put into a tub where it is thoroughly washed with pure spring water. Then it is salted. The salt was mixed through the butter with a kind of wooden saucer called a "skimmer". The butter was then made into pound, or two pound lumps for market, or made into pints to be used at home or given to the poor for Christmas

   The butter-milk was used for making

   (continues on next page)

   

   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

   Patrick Smyth

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Ballylee, Co. Galway