School: Bóthar Mór, Caherconlish (roll number 8342)
- Location:
- Bohermore, Co. Limerick
- Teacher: Nóra, Bean Uí Chráinín
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0524, Page 142
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- XML School: Bóthar Mór, Caherconlish
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- XML “Rush Lights of the Olden Days”
- XML “Tallow Candles”
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- Long ago candles were made at home from rushes.
The old people went to the bogs and gathered the rushes and took them home. They cut them into the length of candles and put them in a mould called a pádóg. They peeled the rush for a wick and placed them in the middle of others. Then they poured grease over them to stick the rushes together. These were left in the mould for a week or so, and they were then ready for use.
- Candles were also made from goats' tallow. When the animal was killed for food, they extracted the fat which they melted and poured into the mould, they made holes for the wick with a knitting needle, and they put in the wick. They were hard after a few weeks and ready for use.
Occasionly they made torches from pine wood. They were(continues on next page)
