School: Tyrrellspass (2) (roll number 13743)
- Location:
- Tyrrellspass, Co. Westmeath
- Teacher: Mrs Payne
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0731, Page 250
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- XML “Before Candles Were Used”
- XML “Sluts Were Used as Candles”
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- Before Candles were used
This pine was used for lighting the houses 200 years ago. Another name for the pine is bog wood. They used to go the the bog ans dig the pine out. Then when the turf was drawn in and saved they dew in the pine and put it in a stack. Then the pine was cut into little strips and at night a box of it was brought into the kitchen. They wound tow round the pine and they stuck it in a pan of grease this was lit and used before candles were made.Sometimes at night they went torching blackbirds with a strip of pine. This pine is used now for lighting fires and is sold in bags by poor boys in many towns and villages. It was often placed on both hobs to dry and when good light was needed in the kitchen a piece of this was thrown on the fire.
Sybil Lewis age 10
Tyrrellspass Rectory
15.12.'38
Source Mrs W. Payne
Tyrrellspass aged 79.
- Collector
- Sybil Levisage
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 10
- Address
- Tyrrellspass, Co. Westmeath
- Informant
- Mrs W. Payne
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 79
- Address
- Tyrrellspass, Co. Westmeath
- Sluts were used as Candles
Long ago the women used to grow their flax. When it was fully grown they made linen out of it. They had a thing like a comb and they combed the linen(continues on next page)
