Bread from Potatoes

At the time of the famine, people used to make cakes from rotten potatoes as they had nothing else. They would scrape the potatoes and make boxty.

Another type was called Johnny Cake. To make it they cleaned the hearth as well as they could so that is was hot but clean of ashes. They would put the cake on the hot hearth and place the hot ashes over it. When it was well baked, they would clear away the ashes and it would be ‘as well baked as any other cake’.

Pan cakes were also made from milk, flour, eggs and baking powder. Potato scones were eaten too made from mashed potato, flour and butter and baked on a greased pan.

Cleggan, Co. Galway

Collector: James Coyne

Informant: John Coyne

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