School: Derryhanee (roll number 16228)

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1. Old Houses

   

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   Old Houses
   Long ago the houses were thatched with heather. Some of them were made of sticks and mud and straw. People used grow rye and oats from which the straw was got. There was a bed in the kitchen placed along the sidewall called a settle-bed. There was no fireplace - the fire being in the middle of the floor. There was no chimney the smoke escaped through a hole in the roof. There was a hole in the wall which served as a window. It was stuffed with a bag at night. There was no glass in the window. If there was the landlord would come along and raise the rent.
   The floors were made of clay. Half doors are common now and were used long ago too. Turf and wood were used to make fires. There was no coal. They used bog deal splinters and rush lights for light at night. They place them in a big candle stick made of wood which they made themselves.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

2. Old Houses

   

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   The old houses were thatched with rushes and heather. The chimney was built with wattles and rods end plastered with clay and daub. The windows were small - no more than two panes being in each. The pigs and cows were in one end of the house and a bed in the corner. There was one small room with a bed or

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   Topics

   1. objects
      1. man-made structures
         1. buildings
            1. residential buildings (~2,723)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Mary Egan

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Erra, Co. Roscommon

   Informant

   Pat Casey

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   50

   Address

   Erra, Co. Roscommon