School: Ladhar (B.), Bán-Tír (roll number 3269)
- Location:
- Lyre, Co. Cork
- Teacher: Pádraig Ó Halladáin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0361, Page 410
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- XML “Lighting the Homes”
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- In many poor homes there was no light at night but what was given out by the fire. It was no surprise to see a family at their supper by the fireside. The pot of boiled potatoes was taken outside the door and thrown into the sgrathóg. When the potato-water was all drained away the sgrathóg was placed in front of the fire and the family sat down on the floor and as Denny Bowler said "they ate their belly full of fine praties and a sup of thick milk with the light of the fireen." Cál Ceannan was often made for the visitor or the aged.
Lights were made of bog-deal splinters in the mountainy districts and sometimes "dips" were made in this way. A skillet (scilléad) was placed on the fire and fat melted in it.
The "dipper" twisted a piece of rag (bangle cloth) about a foot, and dipped it into the skillet and then hung it up on the calabhán (mantle-tree), another(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Thade Horgan
- Gender
- Male
