School: Blessington

Location:
Blessington, Co. Wicklow
Teacher:
Séamus Ó Cuinn
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0913, Page 166

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0913, Page 166

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  1. Potatoes are grown in our plot of about half an acre. Sometimes the amount varies, owing to a certain amount of the land being taken up with cabbages. My father generally prepares the ground which is never manured before hand, but manure is put in the drills before planting the potatoes.
    A person must have a certain amount of knowledge to make a drill. Of course any person can make a drill, but can they make them straight is the question. People with small plots can make straight drills with lines, long cords drawn taut along the ground and the person works alongside it with a spade, which is the common use in this district though in some cases ploughs are used but only on big plots. Steel ploughs which take the place of wooden ploughs which were formely used in the district; there are none remaining now. The spades used are all bought in a shop.
    Preparing potatoes to sow is a big job in this district, because they go through the process of cutting the seed and making sure there is an eye in each piece. If not it is of no use as a seed potato. They are then put in ashes to dry and sowed in the usual way. In some cases people help one another, but
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. activities
      1. economic activities
        1. agriculture (~2,659)
          1. potatoes (~2,701)
    Language
    English
    Informant
    Michael Flanagan
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Burgage More, Co. Wicklow