The use of a scythes have been the trusted tool for many labourers and farmers of decades past. Although rarely seen in use today, this agricultural tool was used for cutting crops and mowing grass before the era of horse drawn blades and motorised mowers. 

An intimidating tool to look at shaped with a curved blade at the bottom with a long wooden shaft with handles on both sides for the user. The body is twisted to the right, the blade hooks the grass and is swung steadily to the left in a long arc ending in front of the mower and depositing the cut grass neatly to the left.

The mower takes a small step forward and repeats the motion, proceeding with a steady rhythm, stopping at frequent intervals to hone the blade. The correct technique has a slicing action on the grass, cutting a narrow strip with each stroke, leaving grass cuttings on the ground.

Mowing with a scythe is a skilled task made to look easy by experienced mowers but needs time to learn the skill. Depending on the use, cutting brambles in a forest would require the blade to be sharpened more often than mowing grass. The use of the scythe stone would be used to sharpen the blade. While the use of Scythes are less frequent, in some parts of America the tool is making a comeback due to the enviromentally friendly aspect of mowing without fossil fuel engines.

In this documentary we hear from, Mulholland brothers of Llisnaskea, Frank and John Mulholland from Fermanagh on the production of scythe stones, John Joe MacMorrow of Leitrim, Pat Cassidy and Michael J Murphy (folklorist).

First Broadcast on RTÉ Radio in May 1980

Produced and Presented by Proinsias Ó Conluain

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