School: Ballydurrow

On this page

1. Churning

   

   Share Share Post

   I have a churn at home. It is about two yards high. It is the same width at the top and bottom that is about two feet wide. The name of it is a barrel churn. The age of it is about three years. In the winter season when it is cold people leave the milk beside the fire. In most places the churning is made twice or three times a week in the summer season and in the winter season once a week. Long ago churning was worked by a horse and a springpole and a dash. A horse would go round in a big ring. It was worked by two wheels underground. There was a long shaft to which the animal used to be yolked and the animal had to go fast at the beginning and slow coming to the finish.

   When people are done churning they divide the buttermilk around on the poor people. If strangers come into the house during churning they say "God bless the work". The dash is worked by lifting it up and down. It takes half an hour to do a fair sized churn. I have a dash churn at home also. My people used it until about two years ago. It is about twenty years old. It is made of nice, good fine polished wood, bound by five hoops of iron. It is wider at the top and bottom than it is in the middle. My people churned milk in it

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. agriculture (~2,659)
            1. butter and churns (~3,280)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Líam Hetherton

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Ballaghdorragh, Co. Cavan

   Informant

   Brian Masterson

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Rahard, Co. Meath