School: Tamhnach tSeiscinn (roll number 12778)

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1. Butter-Making in the Past (continued)

   

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   instrument was withdrawn it contained a sample of the bottom of the firkin and a sample of the butter from the top of the firkin. The butter merchant would taste and test the butter and give his verdict on it. The butter merchant was skilled in the of tasting the butter and had the uncanny skill of telling whether the vessel which had contained the cream before it was churned was put near the fire or not. If the vessel was near the fire there would be a smell of smoke from it. When the sample was tested it was placed back into the firkin from which it was taken. These firkins were composed of wooden staves and bound together by bands made from rushes. When the butter was sampled the bands which surrounded the firkin were cut and the staves taken apart. The butter was then given to the butter merchant who scraped all the blue mould and the dirt which would happen to be clinging to the sides or bottom of the butter. The staves of the firkin would be cleaned one by one. Next the firkin would be re-built and bound by new rush bands. Then the butter would be put back in the firkin ready to be exported. The stuff scraped of by the butter merchant would be given to him as part of the payment for his tasting. Some tasters were very

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. agriculture (~2,659)
            1. butter and churns (~3,280)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   William C. Byrne

   Address

   Boyle, Co. Roscommon