Blacksmiths: c.1916

There were two blacksmiths in Skerries town at that time, the Mannings and the Cartons.

Both forges were almost identical in size and layout, being about 12 ft. wide by 25 ft. long. The entrance door was at the extreme left hand of the building as faced from the outside. At the other end was the hearth and the bellows.The hearth was about 4 ft. square, flat and raised about two feet off the floor. The anvil was placed in the center of the floor just far enough away from the hearth that the smith had only to turn round to lift articles being worked on directly from the fire to the anvil.

Horses to be shod were brought straight in the door and stood with their heads to the back wall. This gave the light from the door, which was always open, to the smith working, as his back was to the horse's head when he lifted the horse's hooves between his knees. A leather apron, partially split up the front, was worn to protect clothes from hot iron and sparks.Two horses, if quiet, could be worked on at one time.

In addition to the horse shoeing, the blacksmiths also repaired plough shares, rebuilt harrows, made pig rings for insertion in pigs noses to stop them from rooting the floors of their stys, fixed all the local water pumps, fixed iron tyrs to cartwheels and other metal fabricating work that was needed. They also made razor spears for catching razor fish and even spekes - points for boys' pegging tops.

Christy Fox [SHS, 1974]



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44                45
19th. C. Fishing
The Harbour fell into decay bit was repaired and somewhat extended by one Hans Hamilton to whom the Monument in Skerries is erected.This pedestal was hardly erected for his work to the harbour, but then of course he was also the father of 16 children. He died in 1863.

It is not recorded how he recovered the money he had spent on extending the harbour, but only the other day I had access to an old will and testament and therein was a clause to the effect that the deceased person had left a smack to so and so, and from the money derived from every box of fish landed at Skerries harbour by this boat, so  many pennies went to the Estate agent. I suppose the shillings took care of themselves, but the wily men from Ringsend evaded this levy for years.

More than sixty fishing smacks from Ringsend came to Skerries fishing grounds every year. These were fine sailing boats, but their fish was landed by rowing boats over on the North Foreshore. Carters from Skerries conveyed the fish to the Dublin Market. It is said that these men from Ringsend men could discharge their catches into the rowing boats without heaving to.They would sail close up along the shore, shout out, "15 baskets for Derham,10 baskets for Seaver".

Those named were some of the many carriers who earned their livelihood delivering fish to the Dublin markets. It is said they were never in bed for the seven weeks of Lent, the only sleep they had was on their carts. If this is right they will never have to spend any time in doing penance in the next world, for they certainly played their part in the laws of fast and abstinence.

T.M. Duff [SHS 1960]