Tongs

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Tongs were most important when attending the turf fire. Nowadays we can boost our heat by turning up the electric cooker. The heat from the turf fire could only be improved by building up the small, burning turf. This was particularly so when using the oven-pot where lighted turf was placed on the lid. Tongs were also set across the cradle to keep the fairies away from the baby. It used to be the custom in Scotland, when the bride was brought home, for her husband to hand her the tongs as a symbol that he made her the mistress of his house. Courtesy of Ballycastle Museum.