School: Smithstown, Castlecomer (roll number 14626)
- Location:
- Smithstown, Co. Kilkenny
- Teacher: Bríd Ní Mhórdha
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0865, Page 263
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- XML School: Smithstown, Castlecomer
- XML Page 263
- XML “Herbs”
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- The most harmful weeds growing in my garden at home are, crow-foot and sea weed. They are very harmful because they spread rapidly and keep the vegetables from growing. Certain herbs herbs have medicinal properties, such as as the flower of the moss and bog bane.
The flower of the moss is a cure for the yellow jaundice. Bog bane is a cure for rheumatice pains. The flower of the moss is washed and boiled in new milk and then in a strained and drank. Bog bane is pulled in a swampy place near the bog. It is washed then a couple of times, Then it is put into bottles and drank.
There are no traditions connected with these herbs. Some of these herbs are used for food for people and animals, such as nettles and thistles. Nettles are boiled by the people when the cabbage is very scarse. It is in the Springtime when the nettles are nice and young and green that the people boil them mostly. Thistles are used mostly as a food for pigs. It is the people who keep pigs always pull them and boil then for their people mostly.
The blossom of the furze is used for dyeing curtains a nice shade yellow. There are no herbs(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Richard Shorthall
- Gender
- Male
- Informant
- Richard Shorthall
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 62
- Occupation
- Miner
- Address
- Croghtenclogh, Co. Kilkenny
