School: Radharc na Sionainne, Lios Uí Chathasaigh (roll number 10741)
- Location:
- Forúir, Co. an Chláir
- Teacher: Máirtín Ó Seasnáin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0606, Page 389
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- We have a barrel churn at home. It is left on a stand or frame made of timber. There are two iron handles in the side of the churn and these are left on the frame. The cream is poured into the churn on the top. The cover is put on and clasped. There is a little circle of glass in the cover to see if the cream is made into butter. Two people have to work the churn by wheeling the handles around until the butter is made. The butter is taken out from the churn by means of a butter scoop and spade. It is washed and salted for the use of the house. If it is for selling it is not salted at all. There is a plug in the side of the churn. This plug is a kind of cork in the side of the churn. When the plug is pulled out the buttermilk flows out. The buttermilk is kept for making bread and other uses. There were customs long ago for making the churn namely if a person came into a house while the churn was making they[?], he would have to make a "dreas[?]" of it or "put the big of his head in the churn." Some people would not let a lighted paper or a red coal out while the churn was making.
We have a barrel churn at home. There is a timber stand under it. The barrel can be tied to the stand with a catch. There is a handle on the side of the barrel to wheel it around. There is a cover on the top. There are screws attached to the barrel to keep on the cover. There is a ventilator on the cover to let out the air. There is a glass on the cover and when it is clean (clear?) the butter is made. We make butter in it once a week in summer and once a fortnight in winter. Our barrel is made about twenty years. A red coal would be put under the churn to burn the witch that would be bringing the butter.
- Collector
- Peggy Conway
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Forúir, Co. an Chláir
- Informant
- Nóra Conway
- Gender
- Female
