School: Lackamore, Tulach Sheasta (roll number 2428)
- Location:
- Lackamore, Co. Tipperary
- Teacher: Máire, Bean an Diolúnaigh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0540, Page 064
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- Flax grew about four feet high. It was pulled then and tied into sheaves, and taken to marshy land and left steeping there for a number of weeks. This operation was known as "bogging the flax". It would be taken from the bog and spread out to dry. It would then be pounded to make the stalks brittle for cloving. The cloving tongs was about a yard long and was made of wood with a wooden tongue. The tongue was scythe shaped and attached witha spring to the fork. The fork was grooved and as the tongue worked the outer covering of the stalk was crushed by the pressure. The fibres of the flax would remain; the rest of the stalk was ground into hulls or chaff. It was hackled next to make it soft. It was taken to a local spinner named Mrs Dowdell; she lived in Carrowkeale. She spun in her own house or would go to other people's houses.
After being spun it was in big balls of linen thread. The thread was taken to a weaver and it was woven into linen.
- Informant
- Miss Mary Wixted
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 73
- Address
- Carrowkeale, Co. Tipperary
