School: Birr (Mercy Convent)
- Location:
- Birr or Parsonstown, Co. Offaly
- Teacher: Sr. Flannan
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0821, Page 141
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- Whip MakingJohn Kennedy Upper Clonoghill aged 64 years gave this information about Whip making and says he remembers watching whips being made.Mick and Bill Connors, Newbridge St., Birr were skilled workers as were their ancestors in the art of making whips. The handles were ash plants cut in the woods around Birr and the thongs were made from hides of old horses which they tanned and cut themselves. The whole secret of their trade lay in the tanning of the leather, and that secret was lost about twenty five years ago, when the last member of the family died. These whips were splendidly made, and were exported to all the principal towns in Ireland, they were turned out at the rate of from one hundred to two hundred per day. Old Lord Rosse thought so much of the skill of these men that he had some of their whips sent to the London, Cork, Dublin Exhibitions.
