School: An Charraig Bheag, Carraig na Siúire
- Location:
- Carrickbeg, Co. Waterford
- Teacher: Seán Ó Comhraidhe
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0655, Page 031
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- XML “Butter-Making About Fifty Years Ago”
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- Butter making about fifty years ago
Long ago the people used to take the butter from one another by witchcraft. An old woman or an old man who had the craft would skim the well where their neighbour used to get the water to wash the butter. This was done on the first of May. Then the old man or woman used to work some other pishogues so that when their neighbours went to make the butter they could churn for the whole day but without success for they could not make the butter. Some people used to put a rusty iron in the fire and allow it to remain there while making the churn as this was supposed to break the spell. Others would wind a long thin briar around the churnbarrel and as the cream was collecting into butter there would be something tightening on the person that was after taking the butter. Then they would come roaring to the dairy door.
- Collector
- James Dunne
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Tinhalla, Co. Waterford
- Informant
- Mr Daniel Dunne
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Tinhalla, Co. Waterford
