Farm and Forge

Windfield, Co. Galway

There are three forges in this district. The smiths are Thomas Wade in Milltown his forge is on the roadside. Patrick Wade in Woodbrook his forge is on the roadside and is near a crossroads. John Cunningham in Toomard his forge is also near a crossroad and is on the roadside. The roofs on Patrick Wade and John Cunningham forges are roofed with galvanise. Thomas Wade forge is roofed with boards. There is no special shape for the door but generally it is a double door. There is one fire place in each forge. The Bellows is about 3 1/2 ft long one and a half ft high two feet wide at one end and nine inches in the other, when the bellows is squeezed it sends out a puff of air that keeps the forge fire lighted. Bellows are not made locally. The smith’s tools are sledge hammers, shoeing hammers, pincers, vice, rasp, anvil, chizle and shoe punch. A black smith shoes horses, donkey and genetes, making gates mends farm implements such as ploughs and grubbers but he cannot mend farm implements such as spade or shovel. Tyres are shod in the open air. Blacksmiths are said to be lucky. Some Blacksmith has privilege. When a black smith curses over the anvil he has the same power as a priest on the altar.

Collector: Peter Martyn, Tully, Co. Galway

Informant: Unknown

Place: Windfield, Co. Galway

Tags: Farm, plough, forge, smith

Footnote: Duchas, http://www.duchas.ie

This page was added on 12/05/2017.

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