School: Ballyvongane (Measctha)
- Location:
- Ballyvongane, Co. Cork
- Teacher: D. Ó Céilleachair
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0343, Page 036
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- XML School: Ballyvongane (Measctha)
- XML Page 036
- XML “Potatoes”
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- My father cultivates about two acres of potatoes every year. They are generally planted in drills in a field in which grew lea-oats the previous year. The field is first ploughed, and harrowed, then cross-ploughed and harrowed again. Drills are opened with a two-board plough. Manure is spread along the furrows on top of which artificial manure is scattered. "Sgiolláns" are placed about a foot apart on the manure. Then the drills are split with a double board plough and the earth is thrown on the furrows, so that a drill remains, where the furrow was and a furrow where where a drill was.
Wooden ploughs used to be worked long ago but are not in use now. Spades were made locally years ago but they are bought in shops now.
The seed-potatoes are cut into "sgiolláns" by women. Each 'set' must have an 'eye' to grow. Sometimes the local people help each other sowing the potatoes.
When the stalks appear, the drills are earthed. The furrows are first scuffled to loosen the earth. A two board plough is used to put the earth up on, and against the drills. They are earthed secondly, about a month afterwards.
When the stalks are about a foot high they(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Tim Buckley
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Laharan, Co. Cork
- Informant
- Tim Buckley
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Laharan, Co. Cork
