Basket Making

transcribed at

Basket Making  [duchas:4998991]

The following account was told to me about basketmaking by my father.  My Grand-Father used to make these baskets.
The baskets were made of bennet which was got on the Burrow. Bennet is a sort of corn like rushes.  About a half a dozen of lengths were put together and a special kind of twine was wound around them.  Then this length was folded up into rings and each ring was stitched together for the bottom of the basket.  The basket's sides were made the same way.
My Grandfather used to make baskets out of very fine sallies.  These baskets were used for going to the shop.  Six sticks were got for the bottom of the basket.  These sticks were laid across each other and the thin sallies were put in and out a through them.  When the bottom was big enough if any of the sticks

Basket Making  [duchas:4998992]

were left they were turned up and the sallies were put through them for the side of the basket.  The baskets could be made round or square.

Mary E. Creane,
Ballygarrett,
Arthurstown,
Co. Wexford