Sir, – Frank McNally's memories of square hay balesin his native Co Monaghan seem positively high tech compared to my memories of hay harvesting in neighbouring Co Cavan, where this important business was conducted solely by hand. There, children could be seen hitching a ride on the tail end of low-slung hayslides or hay bogeys carrying what were called "hay cocks" through the town on their way from field to hay shed.
These hay structures were more akin (if slightly less geometrically shaped) to those which can be seen in Monet’s “haystacks” paintings. – Yours, etc,
MARION WALSH,
Donnybrook,
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Dublin 4.
Sir, – Frank McNally’s article on hay bales took me back to the early 1940s when my mother moved us three children to a UK farm to avoid the London bombs and, as Frank mentions, there was no indication yet of any health and safety measures.
The 1940s version of a combine harvester used to work its way round the hay field in a clockwise circular pattern from the outside in, causing the remaining standing hay to shrink into a smaller and smaller area. The startled rabbits would zip out of the hay, to be shot for dinner by the farm helpers, whilst us children charged around after the rabbits. That was just one example of what might now be somewhat frowned on, the interesting thing being I don’t remember any obvious injuries, except for hay burns and hurt pride, as my older sister was better at chasing rabbits than I was. – Yours, etc.
JOHN RISELEY,
Killiney,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – Frank McNally is obviously much younger than he thinks. He regards square bales of hay as an ancient phenomenon. When I was young, we built beautifully manicured hay cocks and the idea of baling hay was never heard of. As for a stook of square bales! Who ever heard of the likes? When cereal crops were cut by a horse pulling a mowing machine, sheaves of corn were tied by hand by a few people following the mower. Then, three sheaves were stood upright leaning against each other, grain at the top, and that was a stook. That was in Monaghan too, probably before Frank was born. – Yours etc,
BRIAN GILSENAN,
Bunclody,
Co Wexford.