School: Birr (Mercy Convent)

On this page

1. Old Crafts - Candle-Making

   

   Share Share Post

   Candle Making

   The making of candles was carried on in the Main Street, Birr until about forty years ago. Huge cauldrons are to be seen still to the rears of the two houses owned now by Lar Bowes and Miss Hernon, but the Chandlers who lived in these houses were Mrs. Spain and John and Mrs O'Neill, who carried on a very successful business. In the cauldrons the fat was boiled down for the manufacture of the candles, and the smell and fumes from the boiling fat used to penetrate all over the town. When an old cow died around the place the farmer brought the fat into the chandlers to make candles.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

2. Old Crafts - Flummery

   

   Share Share Post

   

   You are not logged in, but you are welcome to contribute a transcription anonymously. In this case, your IP address will be stored in the interest of quality control.

   Flummery Patrick Spain, Cullawn told his daughter, Kathleen, that when he was a young boy an old woman of seventy years lived next door to him. Patrick often saw her making flummery. First she steeped a quantity of oat-meal, through which she mixed some mill seeds in water. This she allowed to stand for a certain number of days. Then she

   (continues on next page)

   Save Cancel

   Transcription guide »

   By clicking the save button you agree that your contribution will be available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License and that a link to dúchas.ie is sufficient as attribution.

   Language

   English