Candle-Making
12th May 1938
Eighty years ago, people used to put eight rushes together and steep them in grease which they got out of fried beef fat. They called the grease tallow. When the tallow dried they had candles made. These were the only kind of candles the people had even on Christmas night.
The people used to make starch out of potatoes. They used to wash and peel the potatoes and scrape them with a scraper. Then they used to squeeze the potatoes into a bowl and leave them over-night. In the morning the starch will be gone to the bottom of the bowl and they let off the top and they have the starch made. We do not make starch at home now.
“INFORMANT Patrick Reilly; male, Age; 87, Prison North, Co. Mayo”