School: Ballycumber (B.), St Ciaran's
- Location:
- Ballycumber, Co. Offaly
- Teacher: G. Ó Súilleabháin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0811, Page 053
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- About fifty years go, flax was grown in great quantities and much linen was manufactured in this district. The land was cultivated as for oats and the flaxseed was shaken by hand and harrowed in. It was then left to itself until it ripened.
It was then pulled and bound into sheaves.
These were later made into stooks.
It was left in stooks for some time to dry.
After that it was brought to the bog and put into a boghole to steep. When thoroughly steeped the sheaves were opened and spread out to dry on the bog. When this was done it was brought home to the barn where it was scutched or beetled.
Scutching had to be done by expert hands who went from house to house during the harvest. They always carried a stock and sword. The stock was a round piece(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Joseph Concannon
- Gender
- Male
- Informant
- Mr M. Henzey
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 70
- Address
- Cappanalosset, Co. Offaly
