School: O'Brennan, Baile Mhic Ealgóid, Tráighlí
- Location:
- An Tóin Riabhach Íochtarach, Co. Chiarraí
- Teacher: Pádraig Ó Loingsigh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0444, Page 427
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- The houses that were made long ago in this country were made of mud. They were much different to the modern houses. Now we make houses of concrete or stones and mortar.
The people long ago were very poor, and owing to lack of materials and apparatus they took the easiest way of doing things - even though they got much trouble with the methods they used. They first went to the "coldest" land, and dug out the yellow clay. they mixed the clay and rushes with water Then they pounded the mixture, and made very think walls of this material. Then they got straight pine rafters from the wood, and after very little preparation placed them as rafters using crossbeams of lighter material - uncut and tied by means of wooden oak nails. Scraws were placed down on these and then thatch was placed in layers over these The thatch was often strong green rushes tied down with ropes, stones, and scallops. They tied stones to the ends of the hempen ropes, and placed the ropes across the top of the house. Pointed scallops were driven in through the thatch and ropes keeping them in place.
No glass was used in the windows, only pieces of wood know as "cóilíní". Floors were made(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Donal Leen
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Baile an Chollaigh, Co. Chiarraí
