School: Naomh Bríghid, Blackwater (roll number 7036)
- Location:
- Blackwater, Co. Wexford
- Teacher: Diarmuid Ó Súilleabháin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0886, Page 016
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- (continued from previous page)Great Mowers:
Wm. Belvin uncle of above mowed an Irish acre of meadow belonging to a James Parker Ballinadrissogue in a day and finished 'and the sun not near down'Mr. Belvin tells me competitions and challenges in shovelling earth on potato ridges were very common in his early youth. In those days it seems potatoes and oats were sown in ridges and not as present in drills and even soil. Then at the 'earthing' there were the competitions.
Here is his account of one such :
Nick Scallan and Tom Mythen of Ballyvaldon were challenged by a pair from Morris Castle a townland some two miles or more to the north of here (Ballyvaldon) and where the land is heavy and clayey in nature In the Ballyvaldon district the land is light and inclined to be sandy
Now in dry weather clayey soil to be shovelled is in small lumps 'like corks'as Mr. Belvin says and is(continues on next page)
- Informant
- John Belvin
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 76
- Occupation
- Labourer
- Address
- Ballyvaldon, Co. Wexford
