School: Long an Inbhair

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1. Churning

   

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   Nowadays most people in this district churn in a creamery can instead of the old fashioned churn. It is much easier to churn in a can than in a churn, as the dash in the can is not as heavy as the dash for the churn. In Summer the people churn three or four times each week, and in Winter they churn twice as in this season the milk is not as plentifull as in Summer. My mother and sister churn, and if anybody comes in during the churning, they churn for a while and this is called "taking a brash", and the people say that it would be unlucky if they did not do so. The churning is done by hand and it takes about an hour to do it. Long ago the churning used be done with horse, and hand machines, and some of those old machines are yet to be seen at some houses. In the beginning of the churning the dash is moved up and down, but before finishing it is given a rolling motion from side to side, and the churn is shaken in order to gather the butter properly on the milk. The people know, when the churning is done when the butter gets thick, and the dash gets clear. Hot water is poured in during the churning and this helps to heat the milk, and to get the churning done sooner. When the churning is finished the butter is lifted out of the

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. agriculture (~2,659)
            1. butter and churns (~3,280)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Thomas Nulty

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Drumfomina, Co. Cavan

   Informant

   Mary Ellen Smyth

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   80

   Address

   Drumfomina, Co. Cavan