The Olden Times.
In school we talked a lot about life in the olden days. At home we asked our parents and grandparents about what life was like for them. They told us lots of stories and we have written some of them down.
School
In the old days my Granda only went to school in the winter months. He had to stay at home in the spring to herd the cattle. They went to school in their bare feet. Every scholar had to carry two turf under their arm each morning for the fire. The teacher used a cane in granny, mammy and daddy's time. We are lucky.
Catholic and Protestants went to the one school. The teacher came on a bicycle. Most children got the Deontas money. The inspectors were cross and often called to the parents of the children if they didn't know all the questions. They had to sit a leaving exam at the age of 14 years.
Houses
Houses long ago were in very bad condition. There was no electricity, no water or no heating except a fire in the kitchen. Most houses had only one bedroom and you had to go outside to go to the toilet. There was no running water. If you wanted water you had to go to the well. The floor was made out of cement or flags which would be very cold on your feet. The roof was thatched with lint or rushes, the fire was a hearth fire or a grate and a crane set in the side of the chimney. There were a few rings and crooks so as to boil and cook on. There was a black metal kettle, an oven and a pot. There was a big dresser for holding the delph. People sat on forms instead of chairs. Most houses had two doors, a half door and a full door.
Clothes
Long long ago the women wore a long skirt and apron around the house and wore a shawl and and a hand knitted jumper to Mass.
The men wore a long black coat with a slit up the middle, a large collar and a thick belt. Men's trousers were heavy tweed and narrow in the legs, their jumpers had a bright collar with a zip. They had a hat for Sunday and a cap for every day.
Milking and Churning
Long ago people could not afford to buy milk and butter so they kept cows. They would go out morning and evening and take in the cows. Sometimes they had pet cows and they could milk them outside. They would get a bucket of milk from every cow. They would keep back some for the calves, then they would strain the milk so that there would be no dust or dirt in it. It would be left to cool overnight. In the morning there would be a thick layer of cream on the top. They would lift that off and put it into a glass container. They would get a glass of cream from every bucket of milk, this they used to make butter. If they did not have a lot of cows they would do this for a few days. When they had enough cream they would put it into a churn. It was like a tall wooden barrel. There was a stick and a wooden plate on the end of it called a staff which they would push this up and down for hours. When it was ready they would lift the butter out with their hands and put it on a board and clap it with clappers until all the water was out. Then they would clap it into a square of butter. They would leave it in a cool place to harden. When you would take the butter out of the churn there would be stuff left over called buttermilk. This was used for baking scones and they drank it as well.
Fair Days
Every town had it's own dates, Creeslough was on the 10th of every month. Every farmer would walk their animals to the fair. There were cattle, sheep, donkeys, horses, hens and pigs. Some farmers would have them in the yards in the pubs, other farmers would have them tied with straw ropes to the railings. There was an open cattle yard at the corner of the garden. Lots of farmers herded them there and sold them there . Good cattle would be sold for £15 or £16 each in the old days and sheep from £1 to £2. You paid 2 shillings for hens and roosters. Wee pigs were 2 shillings which is 10 pence now. Horses would be sold from £30 up. The old kenter men would be there selling clothes and the farmers would bring back clothes for their children. A deal could be finished in the pub over a bottle of stout.
Old Cures and Customs
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Dockin leaves for nettle stings
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Water from a rock with a hole for warts
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Boiled milk and pepper for diarrhoea
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Vinegar for bee stings
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Cut a potato in half, rub it on your wart and bury it. When it rots the wart will be gone
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Wash your feet in boiled potato water to cure chilblains
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To cure ring worm rub the remedy in a circle around the scab and put the sign of the cross in the middle of it.
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To cure toothache soak cotton wool in whiskey and stick it in the tooth.
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If you have a sore neck get a sock and heat it and put salt all over it and put it around your neck.
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To help a cut to heal, get the dog to lick it.
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Boil bog bean and drink the liquid to clear spots.
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Rub a black snail to cure warts.
Poetry
C
hristmas is a time for funH
aving games with everyoneR
unning out and trying to see SantaI
n and out and excited we areS
anta came hip hoorayT
elling everyone what you gotM
aking phone calls if you can’t go to their homeA
fter a while we eat our turkeyS
o we’ll have to wait another year.Christmas
C
hristmas is a time for funH
aving joy with everyone, it might beR
aining. but I would likeI
t to snow but thenS
anta might not come because of the snow but he will comeT
ime is going in very slow but when it is the night that Santa comes I go toM
ass and pray for peace and happiness forA
ll of the year, but whenS
anta comes next year I will be waiting for my toys.Wind
Wind you blow you gust
is it that you must?
Is it that you are good or bad?
Sometimes I think you are mad
Negative impulse can come your way
Is it true? Is it true?
Dancing, throwing back and forth
you blow lots in the North.
By Adam O'Neill
Trees
I walk alone through nature's own
See a tree, it stands alone
A top a hill
with life just there
the winter winds strip it bare.
By Daniel Byrne
My Pet Rabbit
My name is Misty Breslin
To Creeslough I did come
I lived with Bredagh Breslin
IN the house on the hill
One night while she was sleeping
my fate I was to meet
Along came a weasel
And snapped off my little feet
I ley there until daylight
with pain in both my feet
There wasn't a lot poor Bredagh could do
Only cry beside my feet
That night God called me to his home
Although my time on earth was short
I enjoyed my stay at Bredagh's home
By Bredagh Breslin
Junior Art
