School: Carrowreagh (roll number 15220)
- Location:
- An Cheathrú Riabhach, Co. Shligigh
- Teacher: Elizabeth Benson
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0185, Page 0017
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- XML School: Carrowreagh
- XML Page 0017
- XML “Flax”
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- Long ago every farmer in Ireland grew a crop of flax. Its was pulled from the roots then tied and next made stooks with the sheaves. They would leave the stooks there for nine or ten days until they would be well dry. Then a cart would be got and all the stooks were brought to a boghole and were thrown in at a level so as the water would cover the sheaves. They would be left there for about ten days. Then they were taken out to bleach and dry. Then it was hackled to take the shoves out of it. After this it was scutched to take the tow out of it. This was done in a house called "Scutching Camp" in which about twenty girls worked and that night they would have a big dance for them.They had a good pot of cally (colcannon) made and this was they gave them. After this the spinner was got and he had a spinner and a reel and a rack with him. Before he started spinning he pulled the flax through the rack and this made it into like threads. After this, the spinning began. This thread was put in hanks(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Mrs Brigid Kerins
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 80
- Address
- Cluain na hUinseann, Co. Shligigh
