School: Kilmore (roll number 13010)
- Location:
- Kilmore, Co. Leitrim
- Teacher: Eilís, Bean Uí Cheallaigh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0204, Page 270
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- XML School: Kilmore
- XML Page 270
- XML “Flax”
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- Flax was grown in this district long ago. It grew much like oats about two feet high. The seed which they sowed was in bunches on the top. When the people pulled it in the harvest they steeped it for three weeks in a bog hole and put scraws over it. This rots of the vegetable matter and the fibres are left. They took it out again and spread it out to dry. When it was dry they scutched it with scutchers which were made of oak. They were like a spade about two feet long. The people used to gather a crowd of people to the camps and each one would scutch on his turn. The thing on which they scutched it was like the letter L one plank on the ground and one standing up straight with a sharp point on the top of it. On this they laid the flax when scutching and they stood on the plank. When it was scutched they spun it and brought it to the weaver who wove it into linen. Blind Mick used to play at the camps.
The linen was then bleached, either at home or sent to a “bleacher”.
Supplied by Patrick McLoughlin,
Kilbride. 55 years
Written by Brigid McLoughlin, Kilbride
- Collector
- Brigid Mc Loughlin
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Killadiskert, Co. Leitrim
- Informant
- Patrick Mc Loughlin
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 55
- Address
- Killadiskert, Co. Leitrim
