School: Ráth Ciaragáin (Mount Bolus)

Location:
Rathkeeragan, Co. Offaly
Teacher:
S. Mac Giolla
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0809, Page 147

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0809, Page 147

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  1. XML School: Ráth Ciaragáin (Mount Bolus)
  2. XML Page 147
  3. XML “Churning”

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  1. Churning is very common in almost every country house in Ireland. There are many different kinds of churns. Churning is done about once or twice a week. First of all the cream is gathered into a crock or a big basin. When the cream is thick enough it is put into the churn. First the churn is cleaned well with hot water, then the cream is put into it and churned. Some people put hot water into the churn to hotten the cream. It takes about half an hour to churn. There are old stories about churning. Some people believe that if you did not put salt into the churn the fairies would take the butter. It was said that if anyone said prayers over the track of a cow's foot that he or she would always have plenty of butter. Once a woman went out and prayed over one and when she was going to churn the next time
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. activities
      1. economic activities
        1. agriculture (~2,659)
          1. butter and churns (~3,280)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Frances Egan
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Mountpleasant, Co. Offaly