School: Duleek (B.) (roll number 6554)

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1. Rushlights

   

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   ... were made from bull-rushes. First of all they would get the bull-rushes and take the skin off but they would leave a bit of it which they would call the pit (? pith). Then they would dip the bull-rushes one after another into a vessel of grease which would be taken from grissel (?). There would be a candle stand for the purpose and there would be a small piece of a stick for holding the bullrush and when it burned down a piece, they would have to push it up. When the rushlight would burn out they would have another to put in its place.

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   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. trades and crafts (~4,680)
            1. candle-making (~728)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Philip Tully

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Balsaran, Co. Meath

   Informant

   James Curley

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   50

   Address

   Duleek, Co. Meath

2. Rushlights

   

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   They would go out into the field and cut the rushes. Then they would bring the rushes home and steep them in grease. Then they would take them out and plait them together, and leave then up to dry. When they would be dry they would use them for light.
   There used to be other sorts of rushlights too. The big rushes that grow in the rivers - they used to make rushlight out of them too. they would skin them and steep them in grease too.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

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