Lime Burning

transcribed at

Lime Burning  [duchas:4354661]

Lime burning is a craft nearly dead out in this district owing to the scarcity of turf.  The kiln where the lime was burnt, was made on the side of a hill or at the of a bank.  A pit, from six to ten feet deep and at least six or seven feet in width was faced with sandstone and well plastered and a gullet or "puirín" left at the most convenient side.  The kiln was made airtight.  The limestone was broken into small pieces beside the kiln, at least twelve or fourteen cribs of turf was necessary to burn the full of the kiln.  The best turf was brown as black "stone" turf, though it gives great heat, produces a large quantity of yellow ashes which would be mixed with the lime.  When material is ready the kiln is filled with turf and broken limestone, a kind of tunnel being left underneath for putting in the fire through the "púirín".  The kiln is half-filled with turf at first and then alternate layers of turf and stone.  It is set going early in the morning and takes about forty-eight hours to burn completely.  
When the fire first get tot he top of the kiln the púirín is packed with sods to

Lime Burning  [duchas:4354662]

exclude the draught, and layers of turf and stone are put in at intervals averaging about one-and-a-half hours.  The lime-burner stays up that night to attend to it.  When he sees the blaze shooting up at the top he applies more material.  If he is superstitious he will have somebody with him through the night, lest the fairies throw him into the kiln.  When all the limestone has been thrown in he stacks the remaining turf, mostly damp or wet, over the kiln, and sometimes turf mould plastered over it and so keeps the blaze and heat down in the centre 'till all the limestone is well burnt.  He may go to bed then and it will burn away for another twelve hours or more, 'till all the stone is the colour of chalk and each fragment of stone is nearly twice it's former size.
The heat has not left the kiln for some days.  If the heat has not been sufficient the stone is not burnt through.  It is tested by throwing water on a sample of the burnt stones and if it crumbles up into a white powder - with a sizzling noise - it is well burned.
The fresh lime is called roast lime and is a good disinfectant and good for bog-land.

Lime Burning  [duchas:4354663]

Rain or water crumbles it up into powder and this is called slaked (or slack) lime.  It generates great heat when it is being slacked.