School: Askamore (roll number 15675)
- Location:
- Askamore, Co. Wexford
- Teacher: Margaret McGrath
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0895, Page 078
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- XML School: Askamore
- XML Page 078
- XML “The Local Forges”
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- We have three forges in the Parish of Ferns, Co. Wexford.
The blacksmiths are Mr. Edward Brennan, Ballyduff. Mr. John Sinnott Camolin, and Mr. John Fayers, Ferns. The three forges are situated near the roadside.The forge is a large house with a felt roof tarred on the top and the door is shaed like a horse shoe. One one fire-place is in each forge, and it is placed up on a height to be near the bellows. The bellows is a large apparatus, the sides of which are leather. The bill of the bellows is of iron and is descending into the fire. The handle is made of wood and is attached to the top of the bellows. By moving it up and down by the arm it blows the fire. The smith uses the following implements : anvil, sledge, hammers rasp, knife, vice and nails.He shoes both horses and asses, and he also repairs farm implements, such as ploughs, harrows, spades and shovels.
When he is repairing cart wheels, the work is done in the open air, as he has a round cement apparatus outside to leave the wheel on.It was a custom long ago when a person has warts to go to the forge nine times, and wash them in the forge water, and it was found a good remedy.
- Collector
- Annie Reddy
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Askamore, Co. Wexford
