School: Sliabh na Cille (roll number 14513)
- Location:
- Sliabh na Cille, Co. Liatroma
- Teacher: Peadar Mac Fhlannchadha
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0206, Page 437
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- XML School: Sliabh na Cille
- XML Page 437
- XML “The Potato Crop”
- XML “Moulding the Potatoes”
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- (continued from previous page)a wooden tool called a "scíbín". It consists of a long piece of wood pointed at the bottom. With this tool she makes holes into each of which a "split" is placed. There is also a peg on the "scíbín" for her foot to enable her to make the holes easily. The girl stands on the ridge if it is lea ground. She makes a hole in the ridge with the "scíbín" and the child who carries a basket of "splits", places one "split" in hole. Then the girl bushes down the "splits" in the holes. This operation is called "setting". The girl who plants the potatoes is called a "setter" while the work performed by the child is called "guggering". She continues this work until she has the garden planted. Then the farmer comes and he closes the holes. In soft ground the farmer drops the "splits". This means that he puts the "splits" in the manure before he turns up the sod. He can also plant them in soft ground with a little "scíbín" called a "bucán".The people help one another in digging up the ground. All the young men around the district come and help their neighbours. This is called a "meitheal".
- When the stalks begin to peep above the ground, the farmer moulds the ridges. He(continues on next page)
