School: Uachtar Achaidh (roll number 9762)

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1. Old Crafts

   

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   Candle making was carried on here about 50 years ago. First of all the rush was peeled and dried. Tallow was rendered, and the peeled rush was dipped in the tallow and let set. This rush candle used to be put in a "holder" consisting of a block of wood and an upright piece of iron with a cross arm in it that caught the rush. Some of these holders are to be found in the houses in Tullyoscar. Resin candles were also made. The resin was broken up and bolied, and pieces of cotton dipped in it. About 50 years ago the people used a certain kind of moss for drying clothes.
   An old man called O'Neill who lived in Ardr[?] was called the Nailer because he used to make nails in his forge. When making the nails he used an iron rod and a "die". The "die" was placed in a hole in the anvil. The rod was heated in the fire, and put on the "die". The rod was then hammered into the "die" and the nail was made.
   Flax was also made into linen in this district about 40 years ago. The flax was first scutched, and then steeped and then spun into linen. The straw was used for tatching and the flax seeds given to the cattle. About that time people had spinning wheels for spinning wool in nearly every house.
   About 80 or 100 years ago there was an iron foundry

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

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

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Leslie Knott

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Ardrum, Co. Leitrim

   Informant

   Mr F. Sweeney

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   45

   Address

   Tullyoscar, Co. Leitrim