Coopering
Coopering is the traditional process of making watertight containers out of separate pieces of wood called staves. This is a highly skilled craft and was much in demand in Ireland in times past. Traditionally, coopers were apprenticed, studying under a master cooper for a considerable time, until they had learnt the craft sufficiently and were able to work independently.
The craft flourished when huge numbers of coopers were at work. In the cities and towns, the brewers, distillers, provision merchants and butter merchants all employed coopers. Each product demanded a container of different type, depending on what materials were being stored, be they liquid or solids.
Cooper Ned Gavin
Cooper Ned Gavin sits astride the cooper’s mare using a hollow knife to dress the teak staves (pieces of wood) which will form the body of a dash churn.
Copyright David Shaw-SmithCooper Ned Gavin
Cooper Ned Gavin sits astride the cooper’s mare using a hollow knife to dress the teak staves (pieces of wood) which will form the body of a dash churn.
Copyright David Shaw-SmithConstructing the dash churn
One tress hoop is held and the first stave placed inside the hoop and propped by another stave held with the cooper’s boot. He fills in the staves until they wedge themselves inside the hoop.
Copyright David Shaw-SmithConstructing the dash churn
One tress hoop is held and the first stave placed inside the hoop and propped by another stave held with the cooper’s boot. He fills in the staves until they wedge themselves inside the hoop.
Copyright David Shaw-SmithCasks needed to be strong, and as spirits would run through the slightest flaw in a joint, the cooper had to be attentive during construction. Each container had to take internal and external pressures for the duration of its life.
The country cooper had a different customer, mainly farmers who required churns (for making butter), butter tubs, piggins (small wooden pails), noggins (small vessels), buckets, cools for gathering milk, washing tubs and a variety of other vessels.
Gallery
Shaping the dash churn
The body of the churn is placed over a small fire which helps the wood to become supple. The cooper drives down the tress hoops with a hammer and a hard wood block. The staves are forced to bend and take on the curve of the hoops. The joints close.
Copyright David Shaw-SmithShaping the dash churn - Copyright David Shaw-Smith
A crumbing knife removes the charred wood.
Before the wood has fully cooled, a crumbing knife removes the charred wood from the inside edge of the churn and leaves it the correct shape
Copyright David Shaw-SmithA crumbing knife removes the charred wood. - Copyright David Shaw-Smith
To remove the charred wood from the inside of the churn the ‘in shave’ is used.
Copyright David Shaw-Smith
To remove the charred wood from the inside of the churn the ‘in shave’ is used. - Copyright David Shaw-Smith
Galvanised iron hoops replace the temporary tress hoops.
They help keep the churn together. Here the cooper drives them into place with a hammer and a metal-tipped driver.
Copyright David Shaw-SmithGalvanised iron hoops replace the temporary tress hoops. - Copyright David Shaw-Smith
The cooper with his completed dash churn for making butter.
Copyright David Shaw-Smith
The cooper with his completed dash churn for making butter. - Copyright David Shaw-Smith
Coopers were often ‘journeymen’ who travelled around the country, working in different places, until they decided to move on or work became scarce. Depending on where a cooper was working, he used different types of wood accordingly, and would modify his vessels design to the regional variation. A good deal of the wood used was recycled from old vessels. Old whiskey barrels were favoured because they would give a pleasant flavour to butter made in churns and stored.
Sadly today, the craft of coopering has all but died out in Ireland. This is due largely to the widespread use of aluminium casks and plastic containers. Thankfully, the cooper’s work can still be seen in museums, private collections and on display in many Irish pubs!
Upload to this page
Add your photos, text, videos, etc. to this page.
Map Search
Content
History & Heritage
- History of Ireland
- Architecture
- Big Houses of Ireland
- Built Heritage 1700 - Today
- Folklore of Ireland
- Heritage Towns
- Irish Genealogy
- Monuments & Built Heritage
- Pages in History
- Poor Law Union
- Special Collections
- Traditional Crafts