School: Moynalty (B.)

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1. Churning (continued)

   

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   to prevent the cream dashing up. When the churning is in process.
   Churning takes about an hour if the quantity of cream is large. Before starting to churn the housewife shakes a grain of salt over the lid of the churn so as to keep the fairies from taking the butter. If anybody enters the house during the time she is churning they have to take a hand in the work. This is to ensure that they will not bring any of the butter off the churning. If a person tried to take a light from the fire during the process the owner forbids it, in case the butter might be taken by him. In some places a horse-shoe or piece of iron is put under the churn to keep away fairies or evil spirits. During the churning, water is poured into the churn. Boiling water in Winter, and cold water in Summer. The boiling water speeds the churning in Winter, and the cold

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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

   Peter Smyth

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Moynalty, Co. Meath

   Informant

   Mrs Smyth

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Moynalty, Co. Meath