A flail is a manual
threshing device with a long wooden handle or staff
and a shorter, free-swinging stick attached to its
end. It was used to separate the grain-heads from
the stalks.
The museum's Caroline Carr was accompanied on the
visit to the farm by Mervyn Watson. Mr Watson is the
former curator of agriculture at the Ulster Folk and
Transport Museum in Omagh and co-author of the book
'A History of Irish Farming, 1750-1950'.
The farm previously belonged to Vinnie’s father,
Neil ‘The Yankee’ Doherty. He came home from America
in the late 1930s and bought the land at Ardagh,
Clonmany. He farmed there for the rest of his life
until his death in 1978.
"Neil was also a well known funeral director, who
had a glass-sided horse drawn hearse," said Ms Carr,
who said the museum was very grateful for the
donation of the old flail. |
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