School: Balla (C.)

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1. A Churn (continued)

   

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   Then the hands and the butter dish are washed in hot water to which oatmeal has been added. The oatmeal is used to purify the hands and the dish. The butter is then gathered into one lump with the dash. After that the dash is taken out and a circle is made round the churn three times and then the sign of the cross is made on the top. When the butter is taken out of the churn it is left in the dish. Then it is washed with cold water and sufficient salt is added. Fancy prints are sometimes used and these made the butter look very tempting.
   There are a great many superstitious practices connected with the butter-making. If a man comes in while the churning is being done he mustn't leave until he has smoked. If he did he would bring the butter with him. In some parts of Ireland when the churning is finished a little piece of the butter is put over the door in the form of a cross. This is done so as the butter won't be stolen. Before the butter is taken out the dash is whirled round the churn three times and the sign is made on the churn before it is emptied, for fear the butter would be stolen.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

2. (no title)

   “Once upon a time there lived a woman outside the town of Claremorris.”

   

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   [/]

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Katie M. Walker

   Gender

   Female

   Informant

   Mrs Mc Gee

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Balla, Co. Mayo