School: Tomena
- Location:
- Gortullaghan, Co. Cavan
- Teacher: T. Mac Uidhir
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0963, Page 489
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- There were industries in Drumbagh and around the district in olden times but they are not done now.
There was a man in the parish of Corlough who used to make candles. First of all he got a very thick rush and peeled it until nothing was left but the white part of the rush. That was then left for a few days until it got hard.
It was then soaked in lard or butter and left ready to burn. There was no house that there was not a candle over the fire.
Old Crafts
“The rushes were put in a long in basin...”
The rushes were put in a long tin basin seventy or eighty together and tallow was rubbed into them. There were left there for a good while. When they would start to light them they would rub more tallow into them. They would light three or four of them at a time and they were as good as lamps for giving light. There were no wax candles or lamps in the district at that time that is about sixty years ago. - Informant
- Eileen O' Reilly
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Gortmore, Co. Cavan
