School: Bilboa (C.) (roll number 15693)
- Location:
- Bilboa, Co. Limerick
- Teacher: Síle, Bean Uí Raghallaigh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0519, Page 107
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- XML School: Bilboa (C.)
- XML Page 107
- XML “The Care of the Feet”
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- Children used not wear shoes until they were nine or ten years of age long ago but now they wear them when they are very young. Children in this district go barefoot yet in summer but they wear shoes all the rest of the year.
Boots and shoes are repaired and made locally. John Fahy of Croughlahan makes and repairs shoes and Malachy Clancy and Jim Ryan (Rody) of Bilboa repair shoes. Shoemaking has been the trade in these families for many generations.
Common salt is dissolved in hot water used for bathing the feet. The salt has the effect of hardening the feet. People with "soft" feet or who suffer from chilblains walk barefoot through the fields on summer mornings when the dew is on the grass. This is considered a good means of hardening the feet and curing chilblains. Soap dipped in water and rubbed on the heels of woolen stockings and socks prevents blisters on the heels.
The water used for washing the feet must be thrown out before the people go to bed. It is locally said that if you did not throw out "the feet water" the fairies would come and make you get up in the middle of the night to throw it out.
Clogs were never made locally but they were worn by a good many families about twenty years ago. They(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Mary Smee
- Gender
- Female
