School: Naoimh Ióseiph (roll number 15628)

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1. Food in Olden Times (continued)

   

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   "Schillit", of oatmeal porridge and a large saucepan of buttermilk. The supper consisted of the same and was eaten just after the day's tasks were finished. For potatoe-diggers their dinner was provided by roasting a quantity of potatoes in a large turf fire which was lighted for the purpose. Whenever the workers were attacked by the pangs of hunger they regaled themselves on the delicious "roasters" along with thick-milk or buttermilk.
   In the majority of country houses in those days a table was never used. Instead a wicker-work basket, which resembled a coracle used by the ancient Britons, was filled with potatoes and laid in the centre of the floor. Around this an entire family gathered each one supplied with a saucepan of buttermilk. In large country dwellings, when a large number were present at mealtime the table was placed in the cetre of the floor, but in cases where only a few were present it was usually placed convenient to the window if not exactly alongside it, so as to obtain sufficient light.
   Sometimes people living in small stuffy cabins constructed a curious kind of table. It had no feet and hung by the wall. When in use it was supported by two ledges, and when the meal

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. products
      1. food products (~3,601)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Mark Dwyer

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Assylin, Co. Roscommon

   Informant

   Mr Bernard Mc Hugh

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Boyle, Co. Roscommon

   Informant

   Mrs Dwyer

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   62

   Address

   Assylin, Co. Roscommon