School: Eileastrom (2)

Location:
Ellistrin Big, Co. Donegal
Teacher:
Máire Nic Uilcín
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1084, Page 211

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1084, Page 211

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  1. XML School: Eileastrom (2)
  2. XML Page 211
  3. XML “Thatching”

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  1. Moses Stewart
    Gortnavern,
    Cooley P.O.,
    Lifford.
    Co. Donegal.
    Thatching.
    Long ago the people thatched their own houses, and some people do the same yet.
    They thatched with lint or straw. First of all the sheaf of corn is put in to the mill, and the corn is taken off it, and the sheaf is pulled out and it is ready for use.
    The lint is pulled in the Autumn, and then it is carted to a dam, there it is let sit for about a fortnight, then it is carted out to a field and it is left there for about a week and then it is tied up in a sheaf. Then the man takes it and thatches his house.
    He gets a ladder and he scrapes some of the old thatch off and then he takes up a sheaf of lint and he sets the sheaf on front of him, then he takes up scallops and he begins to thatch. He starts at the bottom of the roof and he takes about two handfuls of lint then he spreads it about a foot and a half wide. Then he puts a scalp (?) on the lint, he bends the two ends of the scolp (?) and sticks it into
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. activities
      1. economic activities
        1. trades and crafts (~4,680)
          1. thatching (~353)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Moses Stewart
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Gortnavern, Co. Donegal