School: Ednacarnon (roll number 3523)

Location:
Edenacarnan South, Co. Donegal
Teacher:
Máire, Bean Staráid
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1081, Page 221

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1081, Page 221

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  1. XML School: Ednacarnon
  2. XML Page 221
  3. XML “Churning”

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  1. We have a churn at home and it called a "plunge" churn. Our churn is fairly high and it about two feet wide round the bottom and top, and it is narrow in the centre. Our churn is about thirty years of age.
    The article we move up and down to churn the milk is called the staff. The top part of the churn is called the crib, and the bottom part is called the "staves".
    In summer butter is made about three times a week, and in winter it is made about once a week. When strangers come in they help at the work because if they did not they would be taking the good of the milk with them. It takes about an hour to churn the milk and it is churned by hand.
    People know that the butter is done where they see the butter coming up in lumps. Water is used during the process to wash down the churn and to make the milk churn.
    When the butter is ready it is left to cool. Then it is taken out into a dish and salted. After that it is "haired" and then it is washed until the water runs clear off it. Then it is made up in either pound prints or half pound prints for sale.
    We use the butter milk for drinking and
    (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
    Mary Hannigan
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Gortnacorrib, Co. Donegal
    Informant
    Mrs George Hannigan
    Gender
    Female
    Age
    55
    Address
    Gortnacorrib, Co. Donegal