School: Britway (Bréachmhagh) (roll number 3993)

Location:
Britway, Co. Cork
Teacher:
Domhnall Ó Síothcháin
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0381, Page 330

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0381, Page 330

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  1. XML School: Britway (Bréachmhagh)
  2. XML Page 330
  3. XML “The Potato Crop - Firmount”

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  1. 1. Firmount:
    Potatoes are grown on my farm. Two acres of land are sown under potatoes each year. Sometimes two and a half or three acres are sown. The potatoes are sown in drills in this district. Ploughs are used by the local people. The people help one another by cutting the sgoileáns or by giving a day setting them. The workmen prepare the ground. The yard-manure is spread on the skin before the ground is turned up. The drills are then opened and the manure ploughed into the earth. They are opened with a double-board plough, and are from twenty-seven to thirty inches wide. Wooden ploughs were used here long ago, btu there are not any left now. The seed are picked out and cut an eye is left in each bit. During the summer months the workmen run a plough along the furrows and put fresh earth around the stalks. They spray the potatoes once, or sometimes twice. In the Autumn the drills are burst open with a plough. The workmen pick the potatoes into buckets and then empty them into pits. The potatoes are stored in pits. A pit is cut in the ground about two feet wide and six inches deep. The potatoes are put in and covered with straw. The local names given to potatoes are "Kerrs Pink", "Champions," "Epicures," "Aran Pilates," "British Queens," "Up to Dates," "Aran Banners." Kerrs Pink and Aran Banners, grow best in the district. Potatoes were used instead of starch here long ago. They were boiled first and then squeezed.
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. activities
      1. economic activities
        1. agriculture (~2,659)
          1. potatoes (~2,701)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Ann Morrison
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Firmount, Co. Cork