School: Ráth gCaola (2) (roll number 10929)
- Location:
- Rathkeale, Co. Limerick
- Teacher: Sinéad Ní Chnuic
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0501, Page 114
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- XML School: Ráth gCaola (2)
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- XML “The Local Forge”
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- There are four forges in the parish of Rathkeale. Mr. Naughton, Mr Quinn, Mr. Fennell and Mr. Hoverty are the four smiths who own these. The first three mentioned have inherited theirs from their people before them, who were smiths also. Mr. Quinn’s forge is situated near the river Deel, but the other three are by the road-side.
I live in Courtmatrix and Mr. Naughton’s forge is the nearest to me. It has a slated roof with two chimneys built up out of it. The door is of no special shape. In this forge there are two fire-places but one is only used now. The bellows is very big, made of two big boards, pointed at one end and joined together with leather. This prevents air escaping at the sides and has to come out at the end. There is a narrow iron attached to the pointed end and fixed under the fire. The wind is able to come up and redden up the fire. If our smith wants a new bellows he sends away for it as they are not made locally. Hammers, sledges, anvils, vices, chisels, punches, tongs and other implements are used in the forge.
This smith shoes horses and asses but cattle are never remembered to have been shod.(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Walter Modler
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Courtmatrix, Co. Limerick
