School: Ceannanus Mór, Scoil na mBráthar

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1. Churning in the District

   

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   In this district there are many churns. Some are different to others. There are some which are worked by the foot, and others by the hand, and others with a "dash". It is on one which is worked by the hand I am going to write. It is three feet high, and two feet in breath at the bottom, and one and a half at the top. There are four legs on it, and a barrel fastned on to them with a handle attached to it, and when this handle is twisted the barrel revolves. This is called an "end over end churn" When the person who churns wants butter he gets milk, and puts it into the barrel. He keeps twisting the handle until butter comes on the milk. Then he gets a wooden butter dish, and takes the butter out with it. When he has the butter our he mixes salt with it, and then he presses the water out of it. After that it is fit for use. The milk which is left in the churn is called butter-milk, and is used for making bread.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

2. Churning in the District

   

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   One of the most necessary household articles is a good churn without which the housewife is unable to produce first class butter and butter milk. The churn in my home is not of moden make or design. It is the old Irish make known as the "dash" churn and was made by a family of coopers on the Meath-Westmeath border some thirty years ago. It is made of oak stands three feet high and its capacity is thirty five gallons. the milk is collected each day and placed in crocks until there is sufficient for churning. We churn twice per week and are rarely short of enough

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. agriculture (~2,659)
            1. butter and churns (~3,280)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Seamus Brennan

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Archdeaconry, Co. Meath

   Informant

   Mr John Brennan

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   53