School: Clonmellon (B.) (roll number 9500)
- Location:
- Clonmellon, Co. Westmeath
- Teacher: P. Ó Droighneáin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0725, Page 092
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- XML School: Clonmellon (B.)
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- XML “Potato Crop”
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- We sow half an acre of potatoes every year. My uncle prepares the ground. The ground is not manured before it is turned up. The potatoes are sown in drills. Drills are made by making a small valley in the ground and turning back the clay on each side. Then the valley is filled with manure and the clay is turned back on the potatoes and the drill is formed. Bought spades are used in the district.When potatoes are going to be sowed they are cut in parts with an eye in each part. Lime is thrown on them before they are put in the ground. People do not help each other to get the ground ready or to sow the potatoes. When the stalks of the potatoes grow about two inches above the ground clay is dug and put over them. The whole family picks the potatoes in the autumn. The potatoes are picked in three parts the good picked first then the seed potatoes are picked and then the bad potatoes are picked. The potatoes are stored in pits. Pits are made by digging a square hole in the ground. Then the potatoes are placed in the hole in the shape of a roof of a house. Then the potatoes are covered with clay, and the pit is made.NAMES OF POTATOES"Kerrs pinks", "Shamrocks", Duke of York",
Kerr's pinks grow best
(Peadar Ó Muireadaigh from James Henry, Clonmellon)
- Collector
- Peadar Ó Muireadaigh
- Gender
- Male
- Informant
- James Henry
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Clonmellon, Co. Westmeath
