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The Razor Season St. Patrick's Day was the opening of the razor season. This shell fish used to be very popular. I wonder is it still used. All you wanted was an iron rod, with a spear shaped top. You walked backwards on the wet patch when the tide was out and a spurt of water showed you where the razor was hidden. You stuck in the rod, gave it a twist to hold the shell fish and all you had to do was pull it out. Mrs. Branagan (SHS, 1950) The Windmill When I came to Skerries the Windmill used to be worked and it was a pretty sight to see it working. One day when I was passing it was working and I got permission from the Miller who was standing at the Mill entrance to go up to the top. It was grinding Indian corn and the old cog wheels being made of wood, made an extraordinary rumbling sound. It is a terrible pity that this old historic building was allowed to go to rack and ruin. Had it been kept in working order, it would have been an attraction and a fine advertisement for Skerries BGM (SHS, 1950) |
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Trades and Crafts c. 1910 It is interesting to recall the number and the variety of trades and crafts in Skerries in my early days. There were two blacksmiths, one harness-maker, one shipwright, one sailmaker, four stonecutters, three thatchers, four stone-masons, four or five carpenters, one journeyman clockmaker, one fish buyer, four self employed small boat fishermen, twenty-four farmers and smallholders. Eighteen of these also kept cows and sold milk. There were four builders and contractors, one chemist, one hotel, one guest house, four butchers, fifteen public houses (of which only one is still owned by the same family), two bankers, one corn-mill, two quarries, five shoemakers, two tailors and five drapers. There was only one doctor and no dentist until the 1920s. There was one seed merchant and agricultural supplier, three coal merchants, two of whom also sold salt and one tar, two green grocers and poulterers, two hardware merchants, one pig dealer, one bank and one cycle agent. Christy Fox (SHS, 1973) |