School: Baile Mac Rabhartaigh (roll number 3978)
- Location:
- Ballymagrorty, Co. Donegal
- Teacher: Mícheál Ó Fiannaidhe
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1032, Page 220
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- XML School: Baile Mac Rabhartaigh
- XML Page 220
- XML “Nail-Making”
- XML “The Making of Lint”
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- Tomas Cullins was a nail maker. He had a forge in cow market lane Ballintra. He gathered all the old scythes and took the backs of them and put them into the fire to heat and when they were heated he beat them out on the anvil. Nails were made in this way.
- Informant
- Patrick Mc Guiney
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 79
- Address
- Ballynacarrick, Co. Donegal
- The scutching of flax was carried on in three mills in the Ballintra district. Two of these ceased work fifty or fifty – five years ago and the last mill, at Moneymore, some fifteen or sixteen years ago. One of the first was at Augha – dullagh and a great many hands were employed including women.First the ground was ploughed and flax seed sown. Then it was harrowed with a harrow drawn by one or two horses, and rolled with a stone roller. Then it was left for a few months until it had grown up. When the time came to pull it a number of men and women were collected to pull it. It was placed in a large dam called a “lint steep.” It was covered with stones and sods to keep it under water. It was then left for a few weeks. When taken out of the water, it was spread on a field to dry and bleach. When dry it was tied up in sheaves. After some time it was built in stacks and during the winter was(continues on next page)
