School: An Clochar, Neidín

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1. Tales of a Grandmother Born 1830 (continued)

   

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   near the island is the ruin of an old church (Cill- Seanaigh).
   People had a belief in mermaids and many old people thought they had seen them. It was probably the presence of seals gave rise to this belief.

   Schools of porpoise could be seen occasionally sporting in Tralee Bay. The writer of this account was once presented with a slice of what seemed to be cooked bacon with a fishy taste. It was porpoise. Dilisk was collected on the Strand (Strapallach) and sold when dried in Tralee and in Cork.
   On the islands (off the Maharees) a superior kind which fetched a higher price was found - shell dilisk. The mussel shells were left attached the dilisk to show the genuineness of the article. Many people took the dilisk as an aperient.

   Carragin Moss was also collected and dried; then taken to Cork to be sold.

   At spring tide a great many poor people gathered from the wrack a species of sea weed - light thin ribbon bands about 1/4 in. width. This was then washed in the river which flowed into the sea (Sean Abhainn) and when dried was used for ticks, pillows and bolsters. It was renewed each year. Swy was the name given to this particular weed.

   Mr James O Donnell of Castlegregory, a shopkeeper started a small factory for the manufacture of kelp from sea-weed. The business did not pay. So the work

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Bridget Mc Loughlin

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   57

   Occupation

   Teacher

   Informant

   Mrs Johanna Crowley

   Gender

   Female

   Occupation

   Teacher