School: Lower Warren (roll number 7793)
- Location:
- Warren Lower, Co. Westmeath
- Teacher: Liam Mac Coiligh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0746, Page 231
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- XML School: Lower Warren
- XML Page 231
- XML “Sowens”
- XML “Flummery”
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- The use of "Sowens" as a drink is practically discarded but is yet made in some localities.
Made as follows:
Take oatmeal (3lbs. say) and oatenmeal seeds (seeds are hulls of oats returned from the mill after grinding oats) somewhat less in weight than oaten meal. Put in a crock with a gallon of water and a quart of buttermilk. Leave to sour for at least a week. Then strain the liquid and this is known as "Sowens". It is used as 1 a drink, 2 wetting flour for bread and also 3 used instead of milk with porridge. It is quite a common custom to bring "Sowens" as a drink to the bog at turf cutting time.
- The use of "Flummery" is discarded roughly about 40 years, and is not as widely known as "Sowens".
It is made as follows :-
The same recipe is followed as in the making of "Sowens" above and when the "Sowens" is made ready for use, it is boiled for about half an hour(continues on next page)
