School: Tobar Pádraig (roll number 4764)
- Location:
- Patrickswell, Co. Limerick
- Teacher: Anraoi Ó Broin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0527, Page 144
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- (continued from previous page)It was sometimes placed in a corner. On account of the small windows the kitchen was very badly lighted. This was very bad for the sight. The houses were all one storey high. The door was small, and was kept closed each night by a bolt. Many of the ruins, and some houses can be seen at the left hand side of the village today.The olden beds were wooden. They were in form of a tent or camp. The front of this camp was hung with draperies or curtains. Straw was used as a matteress. Piles of feathers were placed on this mattress. It hangs on hinges. It serves as a seat by day, and a bed by night.I was also told that there were no lamps or candles. Also there were other things used, viz; bog deal, splinters, and rushlights. The rushlights were made of woollen cloths, dipped in grease of fat bacon.Candles were never made locally. Thatched houses are warmer than slated ones. Small houses are unhealthy for a large family. There are many houses in this village for over sixty years. The floors of the houses were made as same as the walls with mud. There were no clocks to be seen. They guessed the time by the height of the sun in the sky. People used exercise themselves, by going to bed early and rising early.
