School: Kilbeg (roll number 11039)
- Location:
- Robertstown, Co. Meath
- Teacher: -
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0708, Page 231
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- XML “Local Forges”
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- There are three blacksmiths in my locality namely, Harry O'Brien, Pat Ball, and two Ball brothers named John and Joe. These men are all fairly stong and their work needs strength and courage. John Ball owns a forge and it is built for many centuries, and the house where he lives is attached to the forge, which has a slated roof. In the corner of the forge there is a hole where slack is kept and over this slack pit is the bellows which is four yards long and weighs almost ten cwts. There is a long handle out of the bellows and the blacksmith moves this up and down to keep the fire lighted. There is a fire-place situated on a concrete block which is about two feet high and at the side of the fire place is a trough of water in which the smith cools the hot shoes before applying them to the animal's hoof.
In the middle of the forge there is a block that holds an anvil on which the smith hammers the iron into shape. Along the wall of the forge there is a bench where there is(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Matthew O' Connell
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Drakerath, Co. Meath
