School: Danescastle
- Location:
- Danescastle, Co. Wexford
- Teacher: Micheál Ó Loinghsigh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0875, Page 006
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- XML “Food In Olden Times”
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- No. of Meals.
Food was simple and lacked the variety that we are accustomed to nowadays. Only three meals a day were taken: Breakfast, dinner and supper. The breakfast was eaten at six o'clock in the morning after a considerable amount of work had been already performed. In the Summer breakfast was often eaten on the headlands and consisted of a keeler of stirabout (Yellow meal) and buttermilk or sheep's "Pap".
Potatoes and salt eaten with thick milk or skim milk formed the usual dinner menu. The more fortunate members of the community had bacon for dinner on Sunday. Meat and butter were then luxuries almost unknown to the masses of the population.
Supper consisted of oaten stirabout and buttermilk or "sheep's pap".
Tea was a beverage drunk only by the wealthier classes.The Table where the family was large was placed in the middle of the floor but in may houses it was hung on hinges to the wall and thus it was possible to economise space when meal time was over.Cups.
Utensils were scarce. Table cloths were not used. A bag substitute was used for the potatoes. These when strained(continues on next page)
