School: Banahoe
- Location:
- Banagher, Co. Cavan
- Teacher: A. Mac an Bháird
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0978, Page 051
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- XML School: Banahoe
- XML Page 051
- XML “Flax”
- XML “The Stock and Skutch”
- XML “The Heckler”
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- "Flax paid the rent." This crop grew well on "heavy Galach land." Such land had a higher valuation than any other kind because it was good for growing flax.
- The stock was a perpendicular piece of board attached to a firm frame. Against this board a handful of flax was held and skutched with the skutch which was a bat of ⅜" tough timber 14" x 4½", with a "doirnín" of round wood 3½" x 1½".
- It consisted of two boxes one with course spikes and the other fine. The spikes were very sharp at the top and were 3" or 4" long. A "dlaoi" (local) of flax was held in the hand and first drawn through the rough spikes, then through the fine. When spun it was prepared in hanks for the market. Girls did all this work. Spinning flax and wool in Cavan ceased before 1900. Only an old pensioner remembers anything about it. The wheels have disappeared.
