Glossary of Terms - Hiring Fairs and Market Places

Arable
land which is suitable for growing crops

bart (of flax)
large two-storied stook of flax with thatched, hipped roof

bawn
fortification around a house or enclosure

beet
bundle of green flax as it is bound up in the field

bellows
instrument for producing a current of air to light a fire

bing
long heap (of potatoes etc.)

booley
wander about in search of grass for animals e.g. cattle

boom
bar with nozzles through which liquid pours as spray for crops

boon
group of labourers gathered at a busy time e.g. for flax-pulling

boxtey (boxty)
bread made from grated raw potatoes and flour

brave
indicates a greater degree than that expressed by the adjective which follows it e.g. ‘brave and big, –wet, –high etc.

cant (kant)
part of market where sellers advertise their wares by shouting

ceilidhe
spending time at a neighbour’s house: also an evening of music and song

chill (plough)
horse-drawn plough with two wheels at the front, the adjustment of which controls the depth of the furrow

cock (of hay)
a small pile (sometimes called a ‘rick’ or ‘ruck’)

common(s)
piece of ground common to everyone, usually on the outskirts of a village or town