The Irish standard., 1903-09-19
"A-soD o. TURF"
"reminiscences of Winter Nights
Round Celtic Hearths.

The following charming sketch, by
| Father O'Growney, was published in
| the Cosmopolitan two months before
the authors death.
In San Francisco one day not. long
ago. | was in conversation with Il
good old Irish woman. She was tell
ing me that all her people were dead
or settled at Il great distance from her
and neslecting to write for years as
frequently and incxplicably happens.
But wait a Bit" she said in her
native Gaelic: 81 have something to
show YOU" and she left the room,
returning a little later with the some
thing carefully wrapped up in soft
tissue paper, tied with Il green ribbon.
1T was "a sod O. turf" from Ireland,
land I'll have it buried with me in the
coffin" Some minds would probably
| see in this remark but the material
for coarse jest, but to Celt there
was something touching in this cling
ing to sod from green Tyrone. When
all near and dear on this earth had
| left her. she had at least this humble
souvenir of the bright purple heath
and the balmy Irish air of the turf
bog over which she had skipped some
80 years before in her young strength
| and Observation-Disclosures 1t was none of
your sods of 'spoddagh" or soft brown
or yellow, light, porus and spongy
| stuff, such as willy bogmen impose on
unwary housekeepers, nor was it the
from the dregs of the bog, but Il
''mud-turf' made into an artificial sod
hard. bricklikc. cOal-black sod cut by
| the sharp "Slane" from the bottom of
| the thigh hank" one of those sods
which our mothers looked for when
some deed of cookery was to be done.
and when they said to one of us: SEQ
out to the camp, alanna. an bring in a
| lock O keerauns." Yes, this was the
| ''kceraun." or rather the father of the
| keerauns Ia word had not thought OF
| in ten years.. those small black sods
or pieces of sods which. when heated
up. became fiery-red "keers" or glow
| ing Goals.
This black sod of turf-how it re-
minded one of the days when we "cut"
and pitched" the turf OH the ''high
bank" mo light work was that same
pitching) and then duly footed it in
neat ''grogauns." after carrying it
home in 'pardogues." or wicker bas-
kets, one swung each side of don
donkey would careen with his load
down the frequent steep inclines.
threatening dire peril to the hardy
'gossoon' or ''girshagh" that sat be-
hind the baskets. Sometimes small
child in one basket was balanced by
rock in the other when there was no
load of turf to he carried. On more
level roads the turf was drawn home
quietly in drays with crates standing
on the sides: and often. to carry an
extra load. the Sods were built on the
upper elSc vi tue cf;tte lllto Dor
dogue," or border. raising the sides by
one or two sods. and thus carrying an
additional pile. Then. ut the house,
came the scientific building of the turf
''clamp." with it's sloping wall of the
SQuarest. brickliie sods. The building
of this wall was quite an art in itself
and was called "curring' or freeing"
the turf (which. being interpreted.
| means c0rnering and walling the turf
rickl Every year. in the fall. the
parish priest would give out on the
altar the names of thoseJ. the chief
farmers of the parish. who We're to
come and draw home the parochial
turf. and with us. in old Father
Hughs time. the wind-up invariably
was. s:EAnd little Tom the Thatcher