School: An Cillín (roll number 16603)

Location:
Killin, Co. Donegal
Teacher:
Séamus Mac Eachlainn
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1036, Page 212

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1036, Page 212

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  1. XML School: An Cillín
  2. XML Page 212
  3. XML “Churning”

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  1. We have a fairly large churn at home. This churn is two feet and nine inches in height, one foot and a half at the top and one foot and nine inches at the bottom.
    It is a fairly large churn as the churns which used to be made when it was made were very small. It was made about forty six years ago. In connection with our churn there is nothing used except the churndash and lid. There is no mark of any sort to be seen on either side or bottom of it.
    We churn twice weekly in summer, and once weekly in winter.
    My mother usually churns with a hand from us at times. As far I can remember, I have never seen or heard, of any stranger taking a hand at the churning at any time on coming in. We generally churn the milk in half an hour. When churning in the kind of a churn we have the hands are always used. The churnstaff is worked up an down, while the milk is being churned. When the butter all gathers on top of the milk the churning is usually finished.
    Then the butter is lifted out with the hands or with a little tin strainer into a wooden dish. It is then washed with cold water, salted, and then washed with cold water again. It is then made into squares on little rolls with butter shaped or else made into prints. Some of this butter if not required for the household use is sold in the shops.
    When the buttermilk is new it is used for making bread and porridge, and the remainder is used for giving drinks to young calves.
    Once upon a time when a farmer went out one May morn-
    (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
    Collector
    Annie Teresa Boyle
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Drumlaghtafin, Co. Donegal
    Informant
    Anne Meehan
    Gender
    Female
    Age
    76
    Address
    Drumlaghtafin, Co. Donegal