School: An Bóthar Buí (B.), Áth Treasna (roll number 16396)
- Location:
- Boherboy, Co. Cork
- Teacher: Seán Ó Gealbháin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0355, Page 154
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- In summer the streams and small rivers were poisoned with lime and large numbers of fish were captured. These were considered a great delicacy.
When the salmon came up to spawn there was excitement among the poachers of the district. There was a gaff in almost every house and it would be safe to say that 95% of the salmon came up to the spawn never returned to their summer quarters. The poachers used torches in former times. Later they folded up a bag compactly round the end of a strong stick like the handle of a brush. They poured paraffin oil on the bag and this gave a splendid light.
The torches were made of splinters dried near the fire. A number of them (about a dozen) about 2 or 3 feet in length were placed together and bound with strong cords or with a hay-rope (sugán). When dry they were so inflammable that no oil was required to light them.
The poachers carried on operations at all hours from dusk in the evening till daylight in the morning. It is true there were water-bailiffs but the poachers were usually able to evade them. A capture was rare and if an offender was fined his friends and neighbours united to pay the amount.
I regret to say that poaching still goes(continues on next page)
