Meals During the Day

People ate 3 meals, breakfast, dinner or ‘bagging’ and supper. The people had no clocks and knew the time by the sun and when they were hungry.

Potatoes, oatmeal and milk were the main food. The table was kept near the window and there were no folding tables at that time.

White bread was mostly eaten and made from butter milk and soda. They made the cakes with their hands and not with spoons.

Herring could be found in the lakes and the sea and when they invited a friend there would be special food.

The grandfathers of the present day had no tea so it must have been lately that tea was available. When it was made, they used to throw away the water and eat the leaves.

Glenamaddy, Co. Galway

Collector: Pauline O’Dea

Informant: Delia Raftery, Glennamaddy, Co. Galway

Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie