School: Gort an Ghainimh (roll number 16127)
- Location:
- Gortaganny, Co. Roscommon
- Teacher: M. Ó Cobhthaigh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0242, Page 232
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- XML “The Churn”
- XML “Local Customs in Churning”
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- Michael Kenny of Cloondart tells us that they have a churn which was purchased twenty years ago in Ballaghaderreen, from the maker, a man named known as Cooper Lavin who still resides near Ballaghaderreen and whose trade is still flourishing. The height of the church is three feet, width at the bottom two feet and at the top about eighteen inches. The various parts are the dash, the lid, basin, and clapper. It is a dash churn and hollows towards the middle, the latter being known as the basin.
- Collector
- Michael Kenny
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Cloondart, Co. Roscommon
- (i) While the process of churning was in operation, if any person neighbour or stranger came in he had to assist if only by taking a few "dreases" of the churning. That is to say the person had to work the dash for a few minutes. This custom still prevails in the locality.
(ii) If fire were taken out of the home for any purpose while a churning was being made, this undoubtedly would give away the butter also. Neither would they lend a churn to a neighbour.
(iii) If a man came into a house where a churning was being made, in order to light his pipe they would not let him do so, till the churning was finished.
