School: Cill Mháille (B.), Inis (roll number 14468)

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1. The Churn (continued)

   

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   471
   making it.
   While the churn is making if a stranger enters he should hit a blow on it with the churn staff for fear he would bring the butter.The churn staff is worked up and down .There are very few hand churns used now as nearly every farmer has a barrel churn.
   Bringing butter from people used to be very prevalent in this parish some time ago ,and goes on at present to a certain extent.There is a story told by James Custy long since dead about an old schoolmaster living in Connolly who had a charm for bringing back the butter taken.There was a certain man living in Kilmaley and no matter how long he was making the churn he had nothing but froth.This happened for three years .At last he was advised to go to the schoolmaster for the charm,but he was very reluctant to give it to him.After bringing influence to bear on him he consented to give it.
   He wrote the charm on a piece of paper and told the man to go home ,and paste it under the bottom of the churn. He told him then to bolt the doors ,and to make the churn himself.While making it he told him to hit it like the hammers of hell.he had not many blows struck

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. agriculture (~2,659)
            1. butter and churns (~3,280)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Michael Custy

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Kyleatunna, Co. Clare

   Informant

   James Custy

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   63