School: Borris (C.)
- Location:
- Borris, Co. Carlow
- Teacher: Bean Uí Loinneáin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0904, Page 546
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- XML “Food in Olden Days”
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- (continued from previous page)Special dishes used in Ireland in by-gone days were Colcannon on Hallowe'en, Pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, eggs on Easter Sunday, Turkey & plumpudding on Christmas Day, goose on New Year's day and mutton pasties on Michaelmas Day. Potatoes in their skins of course here heeled directly from the pot to a canvas bag covering the centre of the table. Then each diner selected and peeled his potato & left the skins on the table - these skins later on were collected and given to the pigs.
In two district[s] during the Bad Times i.e. during and immediately after the Famine period many farmers had "Potatoes and Point" for dinner: the housewife placed a small piece of meat on the centre of the table; then the diners having peelied their potatoes touch them (pointed them at) to the meat in the hope of getting a meaty flavour on them.
During that same terrible period and for many years after, yellow-meal or porridge had to be substituted for the home-grown oaten meal. The drinking vessels used by our ancestors were Tins and mugs. In many farmers' houses the table when not in use could be hung by the wall or transferred into an armchair or settlebed.
