School: Whitecross, Julianstown (roll number 3380)
- Location:
- Whitecross, Co. Meath
- Teacher: Criostóir Breathnach
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0685, Page 196
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- In my childhood until I reached my ninth year the house was lighted by tallow dips and rush lights. The tallow candles were homemade. The tallow was melted into a mould in the centre of which the wick was laid. It was allowed to harden. The rush lights came next. The rushes were gathered by the banks of Rivers and three parts of them removed leaving a small strip to support the pith. They were thoroughly dried in the sun. Then they were drawn through a vessel called the grisset (which was a long shaped vessel with pointed ends) of boiling tallow or grease and then hung on lines to dry. The holder in which those lights were burned was usually a home-made wooden stand. About 2 1/2 feet high the top end of which was like the present day candlestick for the tallow dips. About 6 ins (?) down from the top was a pliers like affair for holding the rush. This gripped the rush and as it burned down it was kept pushed by some member of the family till it was burned to the end. The woman and girls sat round the light knitting the wool which they had spun during the day.
- Collector
- Peggy Landy
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Julianstown, Co. Meath
- Informant
- Mrs Mc Donald
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Julianstown, Co. Meath
