School: Tagoat (roll number 5990)

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1. The Making of Potato-Baskets

   

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   In this locality long ago, a very common article used in the picking of potatoes was a potato basket. In every locality there was a basket-maker, who made all kinds of baskets, especially potato-baskets.

   Potato-baskets were made from willow branches. Around the top was placed an iron loop. Semi-circular branches were then woven from one side of the hoop to the other. These thick branches were called the "ribs", as they were the frame of the basket. "Ribs" were also woven across these "ribs" in circular fashion so as to make the basket strong. Thin willow branches were then woven in and out, across the "ribs" and from top to bottom, until the basket was completed, when two handles were put on each end. These handles were made of four or five thin, willow branches, which were woven through one another, and fastened to the iron hoop, opposite to one another, in semi-circular fashion.

   When the potato baskets were completed, they were sold to the farmers, who used them instead of buckets for picking potatoes. The baskets - makers usually did a good trade.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. trades and crafts (~4,680)
            1. basket-making (~471)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Angela McCormack

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Drimagh, Co. Wexford

   Informant

   Michael Murphy

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Mauritiustown, Co. Wexford