School: Abbeytown Convent N.S. (roll number 15043)

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1. Food in Olden Times (continued)

   “In ancient times,the Irish people partook of three meals every day.”

   

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   of the day. The food required for each meal was very plain. Oaten bread and milk were used for both the breakfast and the supper, and potatoes and buttermilk was taken for the dinner. There were no creameries at that time so on that account the people used their own milk and it often occured that people from this district went as far as Sligo to sell their milk. Meat was often used particularly fowl and beef. Bacon was very often used chiefly American bacon which was very salty and cheap to buy. Fish was also used herring and trout being the fish mostly used, and these were thick with salt.
   During the meal the table was placed in the centre of the kitchen floor and in some houses it was hung on the wall. This was done when the table was not in use. Seldom did it happen that a person eat late at night on accont of only three meals been taken. After seven o'clock there was no meal taken. "Noggins" were the names given to the vessels used long ago. They were something like the jugs of now-a-days with handles on them. It was from these that people drank their liquids. They were made of wood.
   During the famine days of '46 and '47 tea was not known to the people of this locality so it seems that it was after these dates that the first tea was used. The following is a story of

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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

   Informant

   Mr Drury

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Boyle, Co. Roscommon