School: Ballycastle Boys' (roll number 14290)
- Location:
- Ballycastle, Co. Mayo
- Teacher: Mícheál de Búrca
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0140, Page 191
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- XML School: Ballycastle Boys'
- XML Page 191
- XML “The Local Forge”
- XML “The Local Forge”
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- There are two forges in this parish. These are just roughly built and covered with scraws and thatch. The bellows is not made locally. It is fixed upon a frame and is worked by a pole to which the upper part of the bellows is attached by a chain. Coal is burnt mostly, with sometimes the addition of turf for economy but coal is necessary to make the iron red hot. A forge tongs is a special kinds of tongs for holding the hot iron while it is being hammered or "sledged" into shape. They use rasps and hammer and a special kind of knife for cleaning and paring the hooves of horses. The forges here are near the town or on outskirts. The doors are of a special shape just high enough and wide enough to admit horses. The trade is handed down from father to son usually
- Informant
- Mrs Polke
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 63
- Address
- Ballinglen, Co. Mayo
- Long ago it was most unusual to have(continues on next page)
