Young Historians: The Irish in Cavendish

Happy St. Patrick's Day

The Young Historians will be learning about the Irish in Cavendish, who started coming in the 1840s as a result of the "potato famine." A second wave in the 1860s was due to the work available in the mills. The Irish were considered the lowest of the low, and were given only menial jobs. It was the Irish men who built the Vermont railroads and it was the Irish women who worked in the mills and on the farms.

The Irish in Cavendish established the Catholic Church in Proctorsville. Prior to the church, a traveling priest would say mass in their homes.

To celebrate the Irish in Cavendish, the Young Historians will taste Irish Soda Bread. The recipe was given as follows:

BRENDA' S MOTHER'S COUNTY CORK AND HENCE TRULY IRISH SODA BREAD

Must do 2 pans worth--in other words, half the recipe in each pan

4 Cups any decent white flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 Cup sugar

Blend the above. Then cut in till small lumps are created the following:
1 and 1/2 sticks butter

Then add 1 cup currants plus 1 and1/2 Cups buttermilk (or milk soured with 2 Tbsp vinegar)

Plus 1/4 cup caraway seeds

MIX THE ABOVE AND DIVIDE IN HALF. HENCE 2 PANS
Brush tops with mix of 1 egg yolk plus 2 Tblsp water

SPRINKLE WHITE SUGAR ON TOP BAKE @ 350 FOR 55-60 MINUTES

The Young Historians will participate in an "America Wake." When people were leaving Ireland for America, people realized they might never see them again and so they "waked" them much as they would as if they had died. Games, food, drink and stories were shared right up until it was time for the person(s) to depart. The students will be playing Jack's Alive and other "Wake" games.