FOOD OF THE IRISH PEASANT. 145 



Bread and tea. Supper. Bread and tea. SUNDAYS Break- 

 fast. Bread, tea, and butter or jam. Dinner. Meat, potatoes 

 and vegetables. Tea. Tea and bread. Supper. Tea and 

 bread. Note. The food given to labourers who are boarded in 

 farmers' houses is much better than that just described. From 

 another account the following dietary is furnished : WEEKDAYS 

 Breakfast. Tea and bread ; in some cases butter and milk, 

 and perhaps an egg. Dinner. Potatoes and milk or tea. 

 American bacon is taken about two or three times a week with 

 cabbage. This diet is only for the labourer who is able to return 

 home for dinner. His dinner, if he has to carry it with him, 

 consists of cold tea and bread as a rule. Tea. Very seldom 

 taken except when given by the employer, when it consists of 

 bread and tea. Supper. When potatoes are used for dinner, 

 bread and butter and tea are principally used. If dinner is 

 taken out, potatoes are used at this meal. Jam is occasionally 

 used, and sometimes some of the family take cocoa instead of 

 tea, and they may at times have eggs. SUNDAYS. Same as on 

 weekdays, with American bacon and cabbage for dinner. 



PROVINCE OF ULSTER. 



ANTRIM. 



WEEKDAYS Breakfast. Tea, bread and butter or bacon. 

 Dinner. Potatoes, American bacon, and eggs. Tea. Tea, 

 bread and butter. Supper. Porridge. SUNDAYS. Much the 

 same as on weekdays. Note. Labourers in this county are 

 said, as a rule, to keep large stocks of hens, ducks, and turkeys. 



CAVAN. 



WEEKDAYS Breakfast. Bread and tea, occasionally butter 

 or jam. Dinner. Potatoes, and generally dripping or bacon. 

 Tea. Bread and tea, occasionally butter or jam. Supper. 

 " Stirabout." SUNDAYS. Much the same as on week days. 



DOWN. 



WEEKDAYS Breakfast. Oatmeal porridge and milk, with 

 cup of tea and bread and butter to follow. Dinner. Potatoes 

 and bacon, also eggs when under 8d. per dozen. Tea. Very few 

 get tea in the afternoon. Supper. Bread and butter and tea. 

 SUNDAYS. Much the same as on weekdays. Note. American 

 bacon is used principally, farmers selling their own. Butter 

 is a home production, and of middling quality. The cheese used 

 is always American. 



LONDONDERRY. 



WEEKDAYS Breakfast. Tea, bread and butter, or bread 

 heated with dripping or lard, occasionally bacon or eggs, in 

 lieu of butter. Dinner. Potatoes, bacon, buttermilk or 

 potatoes and butter, or potatoes and herrings or dried fish. 

 Tea. Bread and butter, tea. Supper. Oatmeal porridge and 

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