School: Knocktopher (roll number 7033)

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1. The Local Forge

   

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   There are three forges in the district. One is situated in Ballyhale, one in Knocktopher and one in Battettstown. Thomas Pender is the smith in Ballyhale, George Lee is the smith in Knocktopher, and Joseph Pender is smith in Barrettstown. Their families have been smiths for generations and they kept on the same trade.
   The forge is a long stone house with a flat roof on it and a big chimney. The door is a long wide double door with large iron bolts on it. There is one big fire place in it. The bellows is just like a fire bellows but much larger.
   The implements the smith uses are, anvils, pliers, hammers, nails, chisels and bellows. The smith makes every implement the farmer uses. He heats the iron then beats it on the anvil into any shape required.
   Sometimes the forge work is one out at the back of the forge.
   Whenever the old people got corns, chilblains and toothache they never bought any kind of ointment, all they used do was to go to the forge for a bottle of forge water and put it on the foot and soon afterwards they would be as well as ever.
   Some people send them presents at Christmas, and money sometimes. The smiths were supposed to be the strongest people at lifting weights.
   When the old people had nothing to do in the long Winter nights they used go over to the forges and sit

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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)

   Collector

   Lull Mc Hale

   Gender

   Female

   Informant

   Mr Shea

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Knocktopher, Co. Kilkenny