School: Kilcalf, Tulach an Iarainn

Location:
Kilcalf Mountain, Co. Waterford
Teacher:
Cáit Breannóc
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0638, Page 105

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0638, Page 105

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  1. XML School: Kilcalf, Tulach an Iarainn
  2. XML Page 105
  3. XML “Churning”

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  1. We have got one small churn at home. it is about two feet high and one foot wide at the top and bottom. The handle, the batters and the cover are the various parts of the churn. The churn is made of timber with hoops at the sides, two legs and a place in the centre for the handles.
    The butter is made once a week in Winter and three times a week in Summer. Mother generally makes the butter. It is an old custom that when strangers come in they lay their hands on the churn because if they did not it is said they take away the butter. The churn takes about an hour to make. The churning is done by hand and while churning the dash is always moving upwards and downwards.
    Butter-milk is used for cakes and given to pigs and sometimes people drink it.
    When butter is made the butter-milk is taken out and water is poured in to wash the butter. The handle is taken off and the butter is taken out with pats and put into a clean vessel and washed twice, then it is salted.
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. activities
      1. economic activities
        1. agriculture (~2,659)
          1. butter and churns (~3,280)
    Language
    English
    Informant
    Mary Murphy
    Gender
    Female
    Age
    80
    Address
    Kilmore West, Co. Waterford