Food for Working Men

Men would be fed potatoes at around 9 in the morning having already worked for 2 hours. They were fed well as was the entire family. Boiled potatoes were eaten out of a ‘skib’ made from rods that had been boiled. Everyone sat around it as they ate. Bread, tea and boxty could be eaten for the evening meal. Boxty would be made with black potatoes that were scraped and mixed with boiled potatoes and cooked on a griddle. For supper people ate ‘stirabout’ and milk. Most people ate fish – herring was the most popular type.

Tuam, Co. Galway

Collector: Annie Daly, St. Francis Tce, Tuam

Informant: Mr Daly (her father)

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