1. dúchas.ie
  2. The Schools' Collection
  3. Sliabh na Cille

School: Sliabh na Cille (roll number 14513)

Location:
Slievenakilla, Co. Leitrim
Teacher:
Peadar Mac Fhlannchadha
Browse
Mode:
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0206, Page 272

Archival Reference

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0206, Page 272

Image and data © National Folklore Collection, UCD.

See copyright details.

Download

Open data

Available under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

  1. XML School: Sliabh na Cille
  2. XML Page 272
  3. XML “Old Crafts - Candle-Making”
  4. XML “Old Crafts - Rush Candles”

Note: We will soon deprecate our XML Application Programming Interface and a new, comprehensive JSON API will be made available. Keep an eye on our website for further details.

On this page

  1. Old Crafts - Candle-Making

    Share Share Post
    Long ago candles were made in this district but they are not made now. The people used to make two sorts of candles namely resin candles and rush candles.
    The resin candles were made in the following way. They used to buy the resin in the shops. it was yellow in colour. They used to melt the resin in a thing called a "grisset". This was often a piece of a pot or pan but metal grissets were in the shops and every shop stocked the resin. The resin was put into the grisset and placed on the fire until it was melted. A piece of linen or calico from which a wick was made was then procured. This was rolled on a board to make it round and then it was dipped in the resin. When fairly hard they rolled it again until it was quite round. Then it was ready for use. A little wooden candlestick was used for the candle.
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    History Edit
    Topics
    1. activities
      1. economic activities
        1. trades and crafts (~4,680)
          1. candle-making (~728)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Cáit Nic Réill
    Gender
    Female
    Collector
    Maighread Nic Dhorchaidh
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Slievenakilla, Co. Leitrim
    Informant
    James Mc Gourty
    Relation
    Grandparent
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Slievenakilla, Co. Leitrim
    Informant
    Francis Mc Greal
    Relation
    Parent
    Gender
    Male

  2. Old Crafts - Rush Candles

    Share Share Post
    The rushes used to be cut in October and November. Then they were peeled leaving a little strip of the skin still on to keep them from breaking. They were then dried. Butter was then melted in a grisset. The rushes were then dipped "in the dip". When dry they were ready for use and one was placed in a wooden candlestick and burned as required.
    { Cáit Nic Réill from her father, Francis Mc Greal; also Maighread Mic Dorcaidh from her grandfather, James Mc Gourty - both of Slievenakilla}
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    History Edit
    Topics
    1. activities
      1. economic activities
        1. trades and crafts (~4,680)
          1. candle-making (~728)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Cáit Nic Réill
    Gender
    Female
    Collector
    Maighread Nic Dhorchaidh
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Slievenakilla, Co. Leitrim
    Informant
    James Mc Gourty
    Relation
    Grandparent
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Slievenakilla, Co. Leitrim
    Informant
    Francis Mc Greal
    Relation
    Parent
    Gender
    Male