School: Drumacoon (roll number 351)

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1. Making Mud Turf

   

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   Making mud turf

   A peculiarity about the Co. Monaghan is that they make turf. Usually turf is cut. This turf is called mud-turf that they make and it makes a very good fire and is easy to light. This is how it is made.

   The first thing they do is dig away the "scraw". Then they dig up the first layer of the clay. This is called "the fum", because it is useless. They dig another layer of clay. This is called a "floor". It is too crumbly to cut into squares so they break it with spades. Then water is thrown on it and men come and mix it up with shovels. Two men go into it with graipes and take the sticks out of it. This is called "dragging". Then it is wheeled out to a good dry level bank. Another floor is dug. They dig another and another till they have five floors dug and there is nothing left but sand. The same thing is done with every floor.

   Then two men come and "bake" the turf. That is they go through it with their hands and make squares like pan loaves. Water is thrown into the squares, so that they will not join together again. In a week or ten days men come back with spades and turns them up on their ends. After a few weeks they come and "foot" the turf. That is they set eight turfs in the form of a wee house. Then they are put into wind-rows so that they will dry. When they are dry they are put into small clamps. In the summer when the men have time they come with carts and draw them home. They build them into one big lump and thatch them with rushes. Now the farmer has his firing for the winter.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

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   Topics

   1. objects
      1. man-made structures
         1. buildings
            1. residential buildings (~2,723)

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   English