Notes from Tubbercurry and nearby: Butter making and a lesson from a US tourist
Louise Lindsay, Eoghan Rua Ladies Football Club winning captain and Player of the Match accepts the Barton Smith Cup from David Smith (sponsor). Also included is Raymond Carden, chairperson Sligo LGFA. Eoghan Rua defeated Drumcliffe/Rosses Point in the LGFA Connacht Gold Intermediate championship last week.
Big and small farmers in days gone by made their own butter for table use dating back to the times of St Patrick. Butter was highly valued as it was nourishing and tasty. A cow or two was essential to produce the milk. The quality of the milk depended on the grass and feeding of the cow. Poor grass produced poor quality milk and milk with very little cream meant poor quality butter. The breed of the cow mattered also and small black Kerry cows were popular as they were light in weight and produced milk with a good percentage of cream. Shorthorns were also highly valued as they too produced quality milk with lots of cream.
The farmer generally kept two to three cows depending on the size of the farm and the quality of the land. Cows were programmed to calf three to four months apart so as to have a supply of milk in the home all the year round. Cows were housed in a byre or cow house. Those outhouses were generally thatched and cows were warm in winter. Milking by hand was done morning and evening and milk brought into the house in pails or buckets.
In the 1800s the vessels were all made of timber by coopers. After milking, the milk was left to cool and settle and the cream being the lightest came to the top. The skim milk remained at the bottom of the vessel. This was used for the tea when tea became popular. The rest was used to feed the calves until they were weaned and let out to grass.
Crocks were used to hold the cream which was left to sour over a period of five to six days at which time it was ready to churn. The churning took place at weekend and methods were varied. Churns came in different shapes and sizes. They were all round and barrel shaped and made by the cooper. The dash churn was by far the most popular standing about three and a half foot from the ground. It was wide at the bottom and narrow at the top. The staves were made of ash or oak and had iron hoops to keep them in place. A pole with a circular piece of timber with holes in it was attached to its end. This was known as the luithne in Irish. The luithne or dash was lowered into the churn and a round timber lid was slid down the pole and came to rest on the neck of the churn. This prevented splatters coming forth during churning.
When the sour cream was poured into the churn and the dash and lid in place all was ready for action. He or she pushed the dash down and up in quick succession churning the cream. Temperature of the cream was important if one was to successfully make butter. Thermometers were unknown but housewives knew enough not to churn cold sour cream in cold winter weather. If they had to make a churn they put in a pint or two of lukewarm water which raised the temperature and brought on a successful churning. When butter dots appeared on the dash handle after a hard half hours work the churn was considered made.
The claibin or lid was removed and the yellow butter was revealed floating on top of the buttermilk or blathach. The butter was then removed by carefully washed hands and placed in the wooden oak butter dish or bowl. These too were made by the cooper and sold at markets and fairs.
Water from the spring well had to be drawn by bucket and this was used to wash the butter clean. This done salt was mixed with the butter. This acted a preservative. Fresh butter was shaped with timber paddles into pound shapes, butter balls, or wedges. Some decorated the wedges with an emblem or butter stamp such as that of a cow or shamrock. Farm house women who sold butter in the shop used this as a brand. If the farmer or housewife was packing a firkin for the summer or autumn sale, a thin layer of salt was laid on top of the newly churned, after it being placed in the Firkin. Newly churned butter had a very pleasant flavour and tasted great on a cut of home baked soda bread. As for the buttermilk it didn’t go to waste. It was used to make soda bread. A thirsty farmer drank a mug full of it to quench the thirst after a hard day’s work. The rest of it was put on the pig’s feed of potatoes and crushed oats. Those with the firkins went to the butter market in Sligo or Ballina in the backend. The firkin weighed six or seven stone. Buyers were not buying a pig in a poke and so they used augers to test the firkins for quality and taste. Having passed the initial test a bargain was made and the firkins were loaded aboard ship for export to England.
An American tourist was holidaying in the West of Ireland. Before leaving the US he had promised an old friend who couldn’t make the trip, to bring back a painting with a subject matter really Irish, something like a scene on the street on the fair day, or a man cutting turf with the turf spade. After a few days holidays the tourist set out for one of the big towns to find an art shop where he might buy one. As luck would have it he found just what he was looking for. It had paintings of mountains and sheep, men rowing in curraghs, donkeys with creels putting out turf, men and women footing the same. He was spoiled for choice and for a time he couldn’t make up his mind. Finally he narrowed it down to two similar paintings, one featuring that of a man putting out turf with a donkey and creels, and the other of similar subject, so he asked the price of both. ‘Well’ said the art dealer this one here to your left is painted by a well-known, up and coming artist and the price is €120, very reasonably priced I might say, and the one to the left costs €250’. The Yank sensing that he was about to be had replied ‘You must be joking, I cannot understand why the difference as they both look the same?’ ‘Well’, replied the salesman coyly ‘If you study both carefully it will become obvious, you will see for yourself that picture number two has more turf in the creels and the donkey looks much better’.
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The death took place on Thursday, September 21, of Mary Teresa (Chris) McDermott nee Finn of Dooballa, Cloonloo, Fallowfield, Manchester and Chortlon, England. Her remains will repose at Mahon's Funeral Home, Boyle, on next Friday evening from 6 until 7pm, with removal from the funeral home on Saturday morning to St Joseph's Church, Cloonloo, for Mass of the Resurrection at 11am. Burial will take place afterwards in Templeronan Cemetery.
Chris was predeceased by her parents Teresa and John, infant brothers Dermot, Bernard and Joseph, her husband Paddy McDermott, brothers Pat and Tommy and sisters-in-law Teresa and Philomena. She is survived by her sons Kieran and Brendan, brothers Brendan, Andrew and Leo, grandchildren, extended family, neighbours and a wide circle of friends to whom deepest sympathy is extended. May she rest in peace.
The death took place on September 24 of Breda (Bridget) Byrne nee Wynne, of Derryknockeran, Cloonloo in Manchester. She was predeceased by her husband Martin and son Thomas. Sympathy is extended to her daughters Marie and Bernadette, sons Martin and John and their families. May she rest in peace.
The death took place in Manchester of Charlie Doherty who was a brother of the late Margaret Wynne, Cloonloo. Sympathy is extended to all his family and friends. May he rest in peace.
The death took place on Thursday, September 21, of Michael Cooke, Palmfield, Carracastle. He was a brother of the late Johnny, Rathmadder, Gurteen. Sympathy is extended to his wife and family and to all the Cooke families on their bereavement. May he rest in peace.
Bingo is held in Gurteen Hall every Friday night at 8pm. The jackpot is €1800 in forty five calls or less. The lotto raffle jackpot is €650. There is also a 50/50 split. Support is greatly appreciated.
The Gurteen Celtic jackpot was not won and the numbers drawn were 2, 8, 20, and 26. The winner of the €50 prize was Helen Grady, Kilfree. Next weeks jackpot of €6,000 will be in The Crossbar, Gurteen. Gurteen Celtic greatly appreciate all support.
The Eastern Harps 50/50 draw on Monday night with a jackpot of €606 was won by Martha Garvey, Keash. The club appreciates all support it receives.
Gurteen Active Age retirement group recommenced their meetings on Monday, October 2, last in Ceoláras Coleman, Gurteen at 2pm. Activities such as chair yoga and pottery and flower arranging classes will start between now and Christmas. New members would be very welcome and for further information feel free to call Linda on 086 6009940.
Trained facilitators conduct a weekly bereavement support meeting at the Family Centre, Knock Shrine each Wednesday at 11am. There is also a special meeting for bereaved partners/spouses on the First Thursday of each month at 11am. No appointment is necessary. For further information contact Monica Morley on 094 9375320.
