School: Fothanach (roll number 7980)

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1. The Local Forges (continued)

   

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   3. There is only one forge in the parish of Kilconnell. John Dooley is the smith's name, his son works with him also. John Dooley's father and grandfather were blacksmiths also, his father came to forge over fifty years ago. The forge is situated by the side of the road about a quarter mile from Kilconnell. The forge is a small low building roofed with felt. There is a large door with one small window. There is one fireplace, he has a large bellows to kindle the fire. There is a large anvil in the middle of the floor on which he leaves the red iron when he is making horse-shoes and other things. He has a place fired outside on which he leaves wheels of carts to shoe them. There was an old superstition that forge-water would cure warts. The smiths were always considered strong.

   4. Smiths knew a lot of things. "I heard it at the forge" was a common saying.

   5. In former times the smith was always chairman of a local meeting.
   6. The blacksmith had a lot of news and information in the Fenian times.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. trades and crafts (~4,680)
            1. smithing (~2,389)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Eileen Mc Loughlin

   Gender

   Female

   Collector

   Jim Miskell

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Doon Lower, Co. Galway

   Collector

   Lily Mc Loughlin

   Gender

   Female

   Collector

   Martin Kenny

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Kilconnell, Co. Galway

   Collector

   Patrick Sweeney

   Gender

   Male

   Informant

   Thomas Cahill

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Ahascragh, Co. Galway

   Informant

   Thomas Kenny

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Kilconnell, Co. Galway