School: Cloonmorris (roll number 12496)

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1. Old Crafts

   

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   In olden times, almost every person around this parish, knew how to do some nice hand work. These gifts were handed down from their great-grandfathers and grandmothers. Very few of these old crafts are still remaining.

   The following are a few of the old crafts:

   The making of mats. Women used to make two kinds of mats, namely door mats and two mats sewed together, which were put on a donkay's back beneath the saddle. Both kind of mats were made from straw plaited together. Nearly every woman knew how to make those.

   Bee-hives were also made. Men generally made those, but they were sometimes made by women too. Bee-hives were generally made from straw woven together and shaped into a point at the top.

   Small water-mills were very common, and in most houses there was a quern, or hand mill which was usually worked by women. Oats was ground in these hand-mills, from which was made meal.

   Women also made coisins (cóisín) or little hen houses. There were three holes in these coisins and one hen could fit nicely into each hole.

   Mr. William Achles was the craftsman at Johnston's Bridge. He made chairs, noggins and

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. trades and crafts (~4,680)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Teresa Beirne

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   13

   Address

   Edercloon, Co. Longford

   Informant

   Mrs Hoey

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   80

   Address

   Cloonmorris, Co. Leitrim