Traditional Irish Farming Tools: Drill/Drag Stones

A collection of Drill/Drag stones

These distinctive holed stones were once an important part of an Irish farmers tool kit. Known as drill or drag stones, they were pulled by a horse and were used to break clods of earth between potato drills prior to earthing up. If they had good balance, the farmer would often stand/surf on the stone as it was being dragged along. They were popular in the 19th and early 20th century and these examples are now on display at the Irish Agricultural Museum in Co. Wexford.

An illustration of a drill stone from Co. Tipperary (source)

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