School: Cnoc Cairn, Imleach Iubhair (roll number 10731)
- Location:
- Knockcarron, Co. Limerick
- Teacher: Tomás Ó Dúthaigh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0512, Page 422
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- About sixty years ago before harvesting-implements came into favour, harvesters had a very hard life. Gangs of harvesters walked about 12 Irish miles to a distant farm carrying scythes on their shoulders and wearing Báinín. They began work at 4 o'clock in the morning and they worked until 9 o'clock at night. They were paid at the rate of 4/- per acre, and it is on record that a single harvester would mow two acres in a day. This would not be counted as a wonderful feat, as it would take a good man nowadays to mow a half-acre in a day. They depended everything on the "edge," as they called the sharpness on the scythe. While sharpening the blade with the scythe-board they chanted a rhyme which was a sort of charm to "put up edge." The following is how the rhyme runs:-Mo chroch is mo bhrón
Mo bhrón, mo bhrón, mo bhrón(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Thomas Duhig
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 75
- Address
- Emly, Co. Tipperary
