School: Broadford, Ráthluirc
- Location:
- Broadford, Co. Limerick
- Teacher: Ss. Ó Guagáin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0491, Page 086
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- XML School: Broadford, Ráthluirc
- XML Page 086
- XML “The Potato Crop”
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- The potato crop:
Potatoes are sown in different ways. On small farms, the ground is turned by means of a spade or plough. Two sods called "taobh fhóds" are turned towards each other with about a foot of space between. Where the sods were, a furrow or trench is dug or ploughed. The earth, taken from this furrow, is used to cover the dung and the "sciollawns" forming a ridge. Three "sciollawns" are placed in a row across.
In larger farms the ground intended for potatoes is ploughed during the previous winter so that the green sods would be well rotted when the tillage season arrived.
Towards the end of March, it is ploughed over again but in the opposite direction or "across". This cuts the sods into small pieces which readily break up under the harrow.
Next the drills are opened by means of a plough drawn by a pair of horses.
The manure, which has been carted to the headland during the idle season, is now drawn out, spread along the bottom of the drills, while the "sciollawns" may be placed on top of the manure about ten inches or a foot apart. Sometimes the(continues on next page)
- Collector
- William Broderick
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Tullaha, Co. Limerick
- Informant
- Patrick Broderick
- Relation
- Parent
- Gender
- Male
