School: Drumakill (roll number 6365)
- Location:
- Droim na Coille, Co. Mhuineacháin
- Teacher: Florence Harrison
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0943, Page 035
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- XML School: Drumakill
- XML Page 035
- XML “Old Crafts - Scutching”
- XML “Old Crafts - Dyeing”
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- Even about thirty years ago there were no scutch mills as now driven by water or steam. People scutched in their own homes and it was a slow process. They had little wooden stands over which they held the fistful of raw flax with the left hand and with a small wooden beater they struck the flax until the shous or two was all beaten away and the clean flax was left. Scutching was done at night and two pounds of flax was supposed to be a good nights work. Neighbours joined to help each other and there were scutching parties from house to house.
- Collector
- Peggy Mc Creedy
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Leamhchoill, Co. Mhuineacháin
- Informant
- Mrs Mc Creedy
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Corr an tSratha, Co. Mhuineacháin
- There does not seem to be much account of the dyeing industry in this locality. The woven tweed was worn often in its natural colour. The juice of blackberries was the only thing I have heard of being used to dye cloth. All the dyed clothes were a blue shade. Women's clothes were light blue and mens clothes dark blue.
