School: Knocktopher (roll number 7033)
- Location:
- Derrynahinch, Co. Kilkenny
- Teacher: Séamus Mac Éil
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0848, Page 167
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- We grow potatoes on our farm, about two acres and a half are under potatoes every year. Some years when the seed potatoes are plentiful, we sow three acres and the amount varies.
My brother prepares the land. If the ground has been turned up before October, it is not manured until the potatoes are ready to be set.
All the potatoes in this locality are set in drills, but long ago they were set in ridges, as the people had no ploughs at that time. The land has first to be ploughed with a double boarded plough. The plough makes two ridges, and when they are closed together a drill is formed. In the middle of each drill there is a furrow in which the potatoes are set.
All the spades in this locality are bought in the shop. Long ago they were made in the forge in Ballyhale.
The local people help one another, they lend their horses and ploughs from one to another. If the people happen to have no help, the farmers send their men.
There are many different kinds of potatoes set in this locality. The chief potatoes are, "Arran Chiefs", "Epicures", "Champions", "May Queens". The potatoes that grows best in this locality are "Arran Chiefs"
- Collector
- Mary O' Sullivan
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Derrynahinch, Co. Kilkenny
