School: Farmoyle (roll number 14061)
- Location:
- Formil, Co. Monaghan
- Teacher: B. Duffy
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0940, Page 278
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- XML “Farm Animals”
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- The most common animals are the cow, the horse, the pig, the sheep, the goat, the dog and the cat. In calling cows in out of the field we say ze, ze. To call calves we say something like sug, sug, sug. To call hens zese, zese, zese is called out.Goats are very often looked upon with disfavour as they are supposed to be always in mischief. They are fond of eating whitethorn hedges and their bite is supposed to "poison" the hedges and leave them stunted.The cowhouse is called a byre in this district. The cows are tied to stakes with chains. These chains are attached to the stake and when the cow is driven in the chain is placed around her neck. As a rule, the stakes are so arranged that the cows are facing the side wall opposite the door and at such a distance from the wall that their noses can easily touch it. A track, lined with cement or paved and about 5" deep and 2 feet wide is made behind the cows to contain the manure.It was a common belief among the old people that certain people had power to enter byres in the form of hares and suck or take away the milk from the cows. A branch or sprig of the rowan tree hung over the door of the byre was said to prevent the hare from entering.
