Old Crafts
Basket Making
Alice Tobin got this account of basket making from her father, James Tobin, Castlebanny who still works at this trade. James Tobin is about 65 years of age and is a native of this townland of Castlebanny. His father, Philip Tobin, worked at the trade also and when not making baskets he often got work as a thatcher, E. ni. S
In our family we have the basket making trade for over one hundred years. My father still makes baskets though there is very little call for them now. We always had a lot of big baskets made ready for the potato picking time. These baskets were rather shallow, oblong ons, with a handle on each of the short sides. They were called "kishes" and a couple of new kishes were always got when the potatoes were being dug out. These were in use in all farm houses through the years for various purposes. Other kinds of baskets were made also, square ones, round ones, etc. The baskets were made of sally switches. There are
(continues on next page)
