School: Cromadh (B.)
- Location:
- Croom, Co. Limerick
- Teacher: Dáithí Ó Ceanntabhail
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0507, Page 431
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“I propose to give, as detailed as possible, the various phases and activities connected with the "cutting" (that is, castration) of calves, activities that were carried through, with the greatest detail as recently as thirty five or even thirty years ago,”
I propose to give, as detailed as possible, the various phases and activities connected with the "cutting" (that is castration) of calves, activities that were carried through with the greatest detail as recently as thirty five or even thirty years ago in this area.To begin with the "cutter", the man who cut the calves (and also sotto voce the "splader") not unusually derived his livelihodd, for a great part of the year at least, from this emasculating occupation. I myself know as late as thirty years ago, a man named Tom Butler, of Thurles - he was invariably designated "Snake Butler" whose professional surgery in the matter under discussion was hardly confined within a radious of eight miles. He was deaf, spoke in a high thin voice and made a rather unpleasant impression on me when I first I knew him. That impression was cultivated extensively at home , I now believe for the sole purpose of preventing me from studying his surgery at too close quarters. However the cutter was very generally accompanied by a young lad, whose business will be made apparent in due course.The knife used in the operation was, from my own observation and from all the sources of information I have sought, of an outsize in brown-hafted pocket knives. It was capable of(continues on next page)