School: An Bóthar Buí (B.), Áth Treasna (roll number 16396)
- Location:
- Boherboy, Co. Cork
- Teacher: Seán Ó Gealbháin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0355, Page 153
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- Meat was rarely used. An old cow was sometimes killed and salted. The flesh was eaten daily for dinner as long as it lasted. Sometimes it was boiled in "gruel" made from Indian meal and eaten.
Fresh meat was not eaten, but the farmers raised geese. There was usually a goose for Hallowe'en, one for Xmas, one for New Year's Day, and one on Small Xmas Day, and on a few other occasions. A goose was also killed for visitors. At first the flesh was boiled. Goose soup was made by mixing flour with the water which boiled the goose, and it wasn't considered properly made unless it was almost thick enough to eat it. The goose was killed in the evening and eaten next day - a practice which accounts for the fact people had pains in their stomachs and diarrhoea very frequently as a result of gormandizing on the flesh and soup, Goose-soup left over and re-heated was often the cause of violent stomach aches.
In spring it was a custom to have a kid occasionally. Sometimes a young calf was killed and the veal was eaten.
Fish was rarely eaten. Occasionally fresh herrings were to be had and these were quickly used up. There was also some demand for fresh mackerel.
"Red" herrings were used occasionally
