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School: San Leonard, Ballycullane

Location:
Saintleonards, Co. Wexford
Teacher:
Mary B. Dunphy
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0871, Page 029

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0871, Page 029

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  1. XML School: San Leonard, Ballycullane
  2. XML Page 029
  3. XML “The Old Ovens of Long Ago”
  4. XML “Fuel of Long Ago”

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  1. The Old Ovens of Long Ago

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    These were like little presses built in the wall near the fire.
    They were lined with brick and had an iron door. The fire was put in and the oven was heated - mad white heat. Then the fire was taken out, the whole thing was cleaned out quickly, and the cake put in to bake.
    A good example of one is at Fitzgerald's of St. Leonards.
    There was another at Leacy's Yoletown. Another at Cunningham's, the house on the corner Yolestown - Taylorstown Road.
    Some were used as Public ovens after the Famine.
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    History Edit
    Topics
    1. objects
      1. man-made structures
        1. buildings
          1. residential buildings (~2,723)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Mary B. Dunphy
    Gender
    Female
    Occupation
    Teacher

  2. Fuel of Long Ago

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    Faggots
    A man was employed to cut gorse bushes and tie them together in bundles like sheaves of corn.
    These were called faggots.
    They would be left wither then, and brought home like loads of corn.
    Ricks would be made of them in the haggard. These made great fuel for boiling pots of potatoes, turnips etc.

    Fireballs made from 'slack'
    The slack of coal would be taken out of the coal house and mixed with slob from the sea, or with cow-dung taken from the fields. The mixing was done with a shovel and when stiff like fairly dry mortar, was made into stiff balls about the size of a small football. The latter process was done with the hands.
    These balls were put in a corner of the coal house for use. They were put at the back of the fire and made a comfortable warm one during winter nights. It used up the 'slack' of the coal.
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    History Edit
    Topics
    1. objects
      1. man-made structures
        1. buildings
          1. residential buildings (~2,723)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Mary B. Dunphy
    Gender
    Female
    Occupation
    Teacher