School: Ballyduff B. N. School

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1. Churning

   

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   We have no churns at home nowadays, but they had a churn in every house long ago. It was about three feet high, It was wide in the bottom and narrow in the top. The old people used to make the butter twice a week in the Summer time, and once a week in the Winter time. It was the custom that who ever came into the house while the churning was going on should take a turn out of the churn. The churn consisted of a lid with a hole in it, and the staff was a round stick with a square piece of timber at the end of it. The staff was put into the churn first, and the lid was run down through the stick. Then a round little cup made of timber was placed down in the hole. The churn was well scalded and while hot in the Winter time the cream was poured into it. In the summer it had to be cooled before putting the cream into it. The staff was then pulled up and down and in this way the butter was made. You would know by the noise that the staff made, that the cream

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. agriculture (~2,659)
            1. butter and churns (~3,280)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   John Houlihan

   Gender

   Male

   Informant

   Mrs James Houlihan

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Benmore, Co. Kerry