School: Clooncullaun (roll number 13163)
- Location:
- Cluain Coilleáin, Co. Ros Comáin
- Teacher: Liam Mac Leastair
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0250, Page 233
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- (continued from previous page)shoeing the horses the smith also makes and mends all classes of iron goods.
In the spring time he is very busy repairing ploughs, harrows and other farming implements such as spades and shovels.
In autumn and late summer mowing-machines, horse-rakes and other haymaking machinery demand hi attention, while at all times he finds much employment in the making and mending of gates.
In the dry warm weather in Summer the smith is usually kept busy tightening the iron tyres on the wheels of carts and traps and for this purpose he has to work in the open.
The smith is always being looked upon as being a strong man. He is immortalised by Longfellow in his famous poem, the Village Blacksmith as being "A Mighty Man" and the blacksmith of Limerick wielded his hammer with such effect on the walls that he made short work of the Williamite soldiers who were trying to rush the breach.
The smith on the whole has a pretty good time because while having a lucrative job he is frequently entertained by the wits of the neighbourhood who repair to the local forge for all the current news.
