At Home in our Grandparent's Time






The fireplace was a very important part of the house. Each night before going to bed the fire was "raked". A few live embers were covered with a few sods of turf which were then sealed with a coat of ashes. The following morning there would be enough of live coals to kindle the fire for the next day. On either side of the fire were two hobs, the favourite seats in the house. In the fireplace hung the "goose" on which hung iron pots used for cooking and making bread. A griddle (a flat pan) was also used to make griddle-bread. The bellows was used to get the fire going by giving it air.

Bellows

A fireplace 100 years ago.
A large kettle would hang over the fire from an iron crook. A dresser held household objects like crockery. The chair by the side of the fire is called a sugán-chair. The frame was made from timber but the seat was made of rope twisted from straw by the people of the house.

Fireplace dated 1827
The goose
1827 Inscription

The people of the house made their own butter. First the cows were milked by hand. Next the milk was poured into a separator to separate the milk from the cream. The cream is lighter than the milk and settles on the top. The cream was then poured into the churn and the backbreaking work of churning began. Finally the butter was shaped into butter pats with butterhands and enjoyed by the family with freshly boiled potatoes of home made brown bread. This was a chore that was done weekly in the home.


Churn
Butter hands

Oil lamps with glass globes with carrying handles were used to keep young animals warm in cold weather or if they were sick. A tilley lamp was used in the home to give light. The tank at the bottom was filled with paraffin oil and the pump was used to raise pressure in the tank. This forced the oil up the centre pipe in a fine spray. A small knob controlled the flow. The spray of oil came out into a small cloth mantle at the top. This mantle had to be heated by burning the methylated spirits under it for a few minutes. Then it was hot enough to burn the oil.


Oil Lamp
Gas Lamp

Many of the old people we talked to said that the one thing which really changed the old way of life was the coming of electricity. Candles, oil-lamps and wireless sets began to disappear and going on "cuairt" died out. Going on "Cuairt" (Irish word for a visit) was when the men of the locality gathered together every night of the year to bring the news, to hear the news and to discuss local and world affairs.

An Old Iron
A Storage Jar

In those days the woman of the house had to go to the well to fetch the water supply for the household. It was a difficult job often requiring climbing over stiles and a long walk there not to mention the return journey home carrying the heavy load. In our village a very important source of water was the village pump. It is no longer in use and has been recently decorated in the "Black and Amber" of our G.A.A. club.

The Village Pump

Nowadays when someone dies the body is often removed to a funeral home. This is a very recent custom in Ireland. In the past, it was usual for the body to be kept at home for the first night. The body was usually laid out in the largest room in the house. Out of respect for the dead person, the body was never left alone. Very often a group of women would watch over it during the night. Watching over a body by night was called a wake. During the wake, friends and neighbours came in, so there was usually a large number of people visiting the house. There were many customs which the family had to follow. For example, it was usual to stop the clock so that it showed the time at which the person had died. Candles were lit around the body. A dish of snuff was placed on the table and each person took a pinch of the snuff and said a prayer for the dead person. One neighbour was usually given the job of filling newly-bought clay pipes with tobacco for the men and women who smoked. If the dead person had lived a long life, games were often played at the wake. There would be music, dancing and drinking as well.