Meals People Ate

Many people regularly ate wholemeal and oaten bread, boxty and potato cake. For November night boxty was a tradition and Christmas night potato cakes. Bread would be made on the table or on a board 2 or 3 inches thick and it was baked in a griddle or on a griddle iron or maide ráin, the latter used for oaten bread and the former for wheaten bread. The grid iron was square with 2 side bars and 10 cross ways supported by 4 legs. Oaten bread was also baked standing against the fire using 2 sticks, with a 3rd to hold them up making the shape of an ‘A’ [tripod].

Fartamore, (Brooklawn), Co. Galway

Collector: Máire Búrca

Informant: Unknown

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