Joseph's Story

Landlords were people from England who lived in a large house and who had taken all the land from the Irish. They then rented back the land to the Irish for very unfair amounts of money. If they couldn’t pay they were thrown out of their houses.

Old Tradition in Bog

First the turf was cut by a slane. Then it was spread. Then it was made into clamps. Then it was brought home by donkey and cleaves. In the old days the work was much harder in the bog, not like nowadays, where we have machines to do the work.

Weather Lore

Rain before seven is fine by eleven. If you see a swallow fly low it is a sign of rain.

Old Food

Long ago people would mostly eat porridge for breakfast and potatoes and cabbage for dinner. They would grow all their own vegetables. They would keep a pig for bacon. In summer people who lived along a river would live on fish.

The Snow Storm 1947

In 1947 there was a great snow fall in Ireland. It began snowing in February and the snow remained on the ground until April. It was many feet deep and travel was impossible. Many animals died especially the sheep on the mountains.