School: Sraith (roll number 16623)

Location:
Srah, Co. Galway
Teacher:
Séamus E. Ó Dubhghaill
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0050, Page 0194

Archival Reference

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0050, Page 0194

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  1. XML School: Sraith
  2. XML Page 0194
  3. XML “The Local Forge”

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  1. There are three forges in this district, Callanans, Conways, and Mineoguis all in the townland of Gurteeny. Some of the smiths have been smiths for many years but others have only begun the trade. The forges are always near the roadside and sometimes near a stream, because would be easy to fix wheels when it is near a stream. The forges long ago had a felt roof and nowadays they are thatched and sometimes covered with zinc. There is always a large fire burning inside to melt the iron. The door is shaped like a horseshoe and it is a double-door like the door of a garage.
    Only one fireplace inside , and bellows itself is over the fire and the handle of it is at one side. It is made from strong cloth. The smiths never make the bellows themselves, but they got them from Dublin. The smith uses an, anvil, Sledgehammer, pincer, bellows and coal. The smiths shoe horses and asses, but he never shoes cattle in this country. He always makes farm implemnt such as , ploughs, harrows, and spades, to do this special work he reddens the iron first and he takes it out of the fire (with) whith the ones and puts it on the anvil, then he hammers it into the shape required. Horses are sometimes shod in the air.
    It is said that a person with warts, and if he washed them unknown to the smith in the forge-water, that they would go The smiths were always looked upon as being strong and healthy. One forge in [?] is always known as being a bad place
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. activities
      1. economic activities
        1. trades and crafts (~4,680)
          1. smithing (~2,389)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Marie Porter
    Gender
    Female