School: Dean Kelly Memorial (roll number 16639)
- Location:
- Athlone, Co. Westmeath
- Teacher: D. Cahalene
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0748, Page 195
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- XML “Food in Olden Times”
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- The food used by the people in olden times differs a lot from the food used at the present day. In former years people had not the proper facilities for cooking as we have now-a-days and therefore they could not be expected to cook as well as we are to-day. Also the food is a lot more nourishing at the present time than it was in years gone by.
But some people do not agree with that, they say the foo long ago was a lot more healtier than it is at present. In fact the food we use now-a-days is to rich and that has a great lot to do as regards the sickening of people.
Long ago the only crop sowen by the people was potatoes and those were not sowed until very late in the year in case th people who sowed them would have to distribute them amongst their neighbours. At that time if a man had a crop of early potatoes his neighbours would crowd round him asking him for a meal of them. Because of that people did not sow their potatoes until late in the year.
The principal meal long ago was potatoes + butter-milk and often in fact when milk was scarce salt would be used. Some people had potatoes for their breakfast, dinner, and supper. All through the Winter(continues on next page)
