School: Cill Éinne (Killina) (roll number 12818)

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1. Killing a Pig (continued)

   

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   stabs her through the neck with his long dagger. No man is considered a good butcher unless he is able to stab the heart from the neck. The blood then begins to flow freely at once and some of it is kept to make "puddings" afterwards.
   The dead pig is then laid across the table or on some temporary platform and boiling water is spilled upon her, then the butcher scrapes all hairs off with his knife, until her skin is pure white. The pig is then hung on to the rafter and a large tub is placed beneath her into which the insides of the pig are dropped. When the inside is removed she is again washed with cold water.
   She is then cut up into six or eight parts - according to the size of the pig. The following evening the salting takes place. A clean bag is spread on the the floor and on it the meat is laid. Coarse salt is then rubbed into it and "pockets" are also made in the meat and salt is packed into them. It is then laid into a barrel and is left there to "cure" for some period of time. Then it is called Irish bacon.

   Micheál Ó'Fathaigh (14 yrs.)
   Baile Nua - Cill Einne
   3 - 12 - 37

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. products
      1. food products (~3,601)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Micheál Ó Fathaigh

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   14

   Address

   Newtown, Co. Galway