School: Ceathrú na Leac (roll number 12273)

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1. Butter-Making (continued)

   

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   When the boys came to the house they entered and found an old withered woman dead with her leg cut and bleeding.

   If an iron were placed in the fire while a churning was being made no butter-witch could take the butter. The people believed that the iron would burn into the witches heart and caused her great suffering and thus prevent her stealing their butter.

   
   Butter, when washed and salted was packed firmly in a firkin in layers. The good butter-maker had it always the same colour and if at any time it was a little paler, grated carrot juice was used to (?) it to the required colour.

   A firkin held 1/2 cwt. and was taken to the Butter market in Sligo (20 mls) by cart. There the auger-man tested it by inserting an auger in the centre of the butter and drawing it out. The firkin was branded with a fire brand according to its grade and sold to the Sligo Corporation buyers.

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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

   Mrs Mary Small

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Carraun, Co. Sligo