Due to Popular Demand, True Irish Stew

Irish Stew

3 lbs chunks of lamb (meat and bone from the neck)
8 large potatoes
3 onions
4 turnips
6 carrots
1 tablespoon of flour
1 teaspoonful of mushroom essence
salt and pepper

1. Peel and cube potatoes. Scrape,trim and cube turnips and carrots. Skin and slice the onions. With some Celtic music playing in the background ( live is nice, live is good) prepare your stew in the following celtic seaworthy manner, and I quote:
On the bilge lay the quartered potatoes; on the potatoes lay the chunks of mutton, on the mutton sprinkle salt and pepper, on this lay the slices of onion,on the onion spread the carrot and turnicubes in a thick tarpaulin; on the cubed vegetables more salt and pepper; over all pour three full cups of cold water. Then batten down the hatches with a snug pot lid and put it on the fire.
2. Once the water comes to a boil, reduce the fire so that the stew may simmer for two and one half hours.
3. Blend one tablespoon of flour with a little water to make a thin cream. Pour this into the stew 5 minutes before the simmering is complete. Add a little mushroom essence or ketchup and you are good to go.

With Thanks To Fiona, Fellow Educator and Irishwoman