Mixie O'Toole from Charleville demonstrates the dying art of hand plucking a turkey
Donncha Ó Dúlaing is in Charleville, County Cork to introduce a unique item, perhaps a first for Irish television.
A feather plucker, a fine feather plucker, in full flight, on the wing so to speak, Mr Mixie O'Toole.
Mixie O'Toole vigorously demonstrates the art of hand plucking an 11 pound turkey. Despite some tough tail feathers he declares,
She's a fine turkey.
He killed the bird with his two fingers,
That's the old fashioned way.
On form Mixie O'Toole can pluck a turkey in 7 or 8 minutes. The most birds he plucked in a week is about 40 or 50. The biggest bird he ever plucked hailed from County Limerick and was a mighty 40 pounds in weight.
Oh I won't forget her.
Donncha Ó Dúlaing tries his hand at plucking, Mixie O'Toole explains to prevent a bird’s skin from tearing during the plucking process, it must be hot,
You kill him and you hang him, and you have to pluck him straight away.
For those requiring Mixie O'Toole’s plucking expertise, particularly as Christmas approaches, he is usually paid 75 pence per turkey. Most people are generous,
They don't take the change back, and you get the old drink and a cup of tea and all that.
Mixie O'Toole has been plucking birds since he was 14 years old. His father taught him how to pluck and the skill has been in his family for generations. He is aware the hand pucker does not offer much of a career and the trade is dying out.
This episode of 'Donncha's Travelling Roadshow' was broadcast on 9 December 1979.
'Donncha's Travelling Roadshow' highlighted rural Ireland, its people, music and traditions. It was the first television series presented by radio broadcaster Donncha Ó Dúlaing, who travelled around the country, meeting different communities. First broadcast on 14 March 1979, initially as a six-part series, there were two further 'Donncha's Travelling Roadshow' series broadcast in 1979 and 1980, along with an Easter special in 1981.
