School: Melview, Longford (roll number 7518)

Location:
Knockawalky, Co. Longford
Teacher:
P. Ó Tuathaigh
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0757, Page 185

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0757, Page 185

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  1. XML School: Melview, Longford
  2. XML Page 185
  3. XML “Setting the Potatoes”

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    guide to go straight. In turning the sods each side they would take care to close them well at the joints, the sods fitting so close that a stroke of the loy would close the ridge to secure the seed from getting the wind when it was "set". When the ridges were dug by the men the girls would come out with their skeeveens to set the potatoes. The bored holes three across and nine inches between the rows, dropping a split potato with an "eye" or two in it which they had cut a few days before into each hole. This dropping of the splits into the holes is called "guggening". They carried the splits in a "praiscin" or guggening bag tied around the waist. In the evening they all turned back on their ridges and stopped all the holes hitting the clay into them with their skeeveens. After that about three (days) weeks they were moulded up and soon soon came up in even rows.
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. activities
      1. economic activities
        1. agriculture (~2,659)
          1. potatoes (~2,701)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Seamus Mc Manus
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Aghadegnan, Co. Longford