Good Man Antaine! Here is my lowdown on - The Spancil

In North Tipperary and most other places in the country a "spancil" is used on cattle and livestock to hinder their movement.

It can be as simple as a short piece of rope or a custom made from timber with leather straps. Normally, a spancil is attached above the knees of the hind legs to restrict but not disable the animal. If you are being kicked by a particular cow regularly at milking time you will "spancil it" as soon as it is brought into the milking parlour. The spancil is then removed when milking is finished.

"Frank in the swamps" is probably quite correct with his explaination but thankfully I have nither witnessed nor heard of such practices in our locality. Mind you, if me missus (my wife) thought it might work I could wake up some morning soon both sore and powerless. (I can think of more pleasant ways of getting me into the same condition).

Frank McGrath