Bleaching The brown linen cloth had to be bleached to whiten it and this process using potash and buttermilk was known as bleaching. The linen ...
Hand-Loom Weaver In much of Ulster hand-loom weavers were the centre-point of cottage industry. One of their problems was keeping the loom steady as it ...
Spinning Wheel This type of spinning wheel turned raw flax into linen yarn. This was a crucial element of Ulster’s cottage industry. Spinning wheels ...
Hackling Before hackling machines became widely used the hackling process was done by hand. The fibres were separated and combed to make the flax ...
Wool Cottage industry still produced wool which could be dyed using items such as blackberries. The wool was used to make the homespun clothing.
Cottage Industry Although this painting dates from the 1840s, it gives us an accurate picture of life and work in a typical Ulster farmer – weaver’s ...
Public Works This photograph was taken in Co. Galway in 1898, but it gives us an idea of the many public works schemes running during the Famine. It ...
Pottery Many families bought cheap imported pots and plates to decorate their dressers, but local potters made most of the red and black ...
Blacksmith The Blacksmith mended iron machinery and sometimes replaced the metal shoes on a horse.
Fishing Net In coastal areas fishing was important as it provided an alternative source of food high in protein. This photograph shows fishers ...
