School: Liath-Mhuine

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1. Old Crafts

   

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   years ago when people were too poor to purchase manufactured articles, they had to produce almost all their own requirements.

   For instance, if a farmer wished to build a house, he brought stones and sand from the seashore or wherever it was convenient; he burned lime with which he made mortar; he spliced timber timber for roofing from logs which he had unearthed previously, in the bog, where they had remained buried for ages. He cut long strips of turf and also provided rushes or straw for thatching the roof. When he had all of the necessary material ready he procured the assistance of a handy man for whose service he returned the payment by labour.

   From the wool of his sheep, or the flax which he grew made all the cloathing he and his family required. The different processes, with the exception of the actual weaving, were performed by numbers of his household.

   The following is the manner in which the wool and flax were prepared for the loom and which shows the industry and craft those people of a bygone age possessed.

   When the wool was shorn from the sheep it was oiled, combed and carded. It was next spun and twisted. Afterwards it was bleached or dyed and,

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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)
   2. objects
      1. clothing and accessories (~2,403)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Joan Lyons

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Cooga, Co. Sligo