School: Woodland (roll number 8464)
- Location:
- Woodland, Co. Donegal
- Teacher: Mrs Crossan
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1085, Page 135
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- XML “Care of Our Farm Animals”
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- Three cows, three horses, three calves, two pigs, a hundred hens, twenty one ducks, twelve turkeys, one dog and five cats comprise our stock. The names of the cows are Roaney, Big Cow and Heifer. When you are driving the cows to and from the fields you call "How, How" to the calves you say Pogue, Pogue, The cows are tied with chains around their necks. The cowhouse is built of stones with a wooden roof. The tyings are made of bought chains. The cowhouse is called a byre. St Brigid's Cross, a bottle of holy water, and a piece of blessed palm are placed in the byre to bring good luck on the stock.
In the stable there is a stone fixed for each horse. There is a manger for his fodder and a box for his oats. The horses' names are Dinah, Bess & Mattie. In the morning the horse gets a gallon of corn, and some hay or straw. The same is given at dinner time. At night he gets a mash which consists of boiled turnips and bran. At bedtime he gets a mash which straw for the night and a fresh bed. "Hus, Hus," is said when calling pigs. "Tuk, Tuck," is the call for hens. Nanny, Nanny brings goats to us. Pough, Pough is used for hens. Eggs for hatching are marked with ink. My grandfather William Boyce had a horse which was the same one which was drawing Lord Leitrim's carriage when the latter was shot. The animal which was very cross was afterwards supposed to have eaten a man.
