School: Muckalee, Kilkenny (roll number 3832)

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1. The Local Forges

   

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   There are three forges in the parish. The smiths names who work in them are: Patrick Foley, Revana works in the forge in Cloughaninka. Jack Cantiwell, Ballyfoyle works in Ballyfoyle forge, and William Byrne, Coolcullen, works in Coolcullen forge. They have been smiths since they were sixteen. The three forges are situated at cross-roads and are near streams. The forges are built of stones and mortar and a wooden roof, and a hole in the roof over the fireplace. The anvil is near the fireplace, a vice, a tub of water, iron bars, old horse shoes, a bellows a heavy sledge, a bight, sledge, a hammer, a chissel, a hammer with a point to hole the horse shoes. A fireplace and a bag of slack. The bellows is made of leather and timber the under part of the bellows has a little wooden door and that is nailed to the wood with leather. There is a chain out of the door, and a handle from the chain, and when you pull down the handle it blows wind out through the pipe and into the fire and when the handle goes up it draws in air. The bellows were not made locally The smith shoes horses and asses. They used to make ploughs and harrows long ago. The carpenter used to make the wooden part of the plough or harrow the smiths make the iron parts. The smiths work outside when he is binding wheels and putting in pins in harrows.

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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)
            1. smithing (~2,389)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Thomas Coogan

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Clogharinka, Co. Kilkenny

   Informant

   Michael Coogan

   Relation

   Parent

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   71

   Address

   Clogharinka, Co. Kilkenny