School: Donabate (B.)
- Location:
- Donabate, Co. Dublin
- Teacher: L. Ó Briain
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- XML School: Donabate (B.)
- XML Page 299
- XML “A Burrow Tale”
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- When I was a lad 77 years ago there were no candles or matches. But I remember Betty Howard from Swords selling the torch. This torch was made from the rush. This rush grew in bogs and commons. It grew about three feet high. When they got this rush they cut a piece off the top and bottom. Then they were dipped in oil and they were sold at three a penny. They had no matches and the way they used to light the rush was:- they got a piece of flint against a stone and they struck the flint on the stone and with the sparks they lit the touch paper and then lit the rush. This touch paper was soaked in saltpetre. Sometimes perhaps they might have no flint. When they get up in the morning and would be in a bad way for want of a light(continues on next page)
- Collector
- James Rogers
- Gender
- Male
- Occupation
- Pupil
- Address
- Ballymastone, Co. Dublin
- Informant
- Laurence Smart
- Relation
- Unknown
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 86
- Address
- Burrow, Co. Dublin