School: An Clochar, Buirgheas Uí Chatháin (roll number 15820)

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1. Old Houses

   

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   The houses in olden times had thatched roofs. The thatch used to be procured from wheat or rye and sometimes oats. Two thatchers lived in my district Cloninaha, Borrisokane, Co. Tipperary, and they used to go around to the local houses and stop there for a time and thatch during the day. Their pay wasn't very big. The fire-place was nearly always at the gable-wall but in very old houses it used to be in the corner. The front of the chimney was generally made of clay and wattles in the old houses.
   No old people in my district heard of the houses having no chimneys or having the fire in the centre of the floor. Some of the houses had no glass for the windows only two shutters which were open all day and closed at night. The floors were made of lime and gravel. Half-doors were on the houses in olden times and still exist in the district. Turf was the commonest thing used for firing and sometimes wood. Candles were very scarce formerly and rushlights were very common.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

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

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Peg Heenan

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Clooninihy, Co. Tipperary