School: An Drom Clochach (B.)
- Location:
- Dromclogh, Co. Kerry
- Teacher: Pártholán Ó Ruadhacháin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0408, Page 160
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- Mrs Costello of Ballyhorgan, Lixnaw, remembers seeing splinters used in her old home in Tullig, Lixnaw. (Lynch).
The splinters were cut from a very dry well-seasoned piece of bog-deal. They were long, and as thick as man's finger. They were very straight. Several splinters were lighted at night and placed in holes in the hob. The holes were sometimes made by scraping the mortar between two stones with a nail. The splinters stood out horizontally whilst burning. The women sat round the splinters and knitted or mended clothes. They gave beautiful light and were full of resin.
It was a custom too, with the young boys to go 'torching' for birds during the wild winter nights. They carried several splinters with them to give them light to see the birds. Before the splinters burned out, they relighted others from them.
It was the custom too, for one member of the family to hold the lighted splinter near the table while the others ate their supper. The person who held the splinter kept it 'snuffed' with another one.
- Collector
- Mrs Norah Costello
- Gender
- Female
- Occupation
- Assistant teacher
- Informant
- Michael Costello
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 78
- Address
- Ballyhorgan East, Co. Kerry
