School: Gráinseach Ailt an Chaistín (St. Johnston)

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1. Old Houses

   

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   All the old houses used to be thatched with wheat straw or rye straw which was grown in the district by all the farmers. About the year 1818 the Glentown Slate Quarry was opened by the Duke of Abercorn and slates were supplied very cheaply to all the tenants on the estate. From that time onwards a great many houses were slated with the Glentown slates. About the same time a "flag" quarry was opened at Ardagh which supplied "flags" for the making roofs some out offices. The old houses had a bed in the Kitchen called a "settle" bed. It folded up in the daytime like a big chest and it was always used as a seat. It was always placed against the sidewall of the house furtherest from the door. The fireplace was always again the Gable wall. The floors in most of the old houses were made of hard baked clay. The floors in the remainder of the houses were made of "flags" quarried at Ardagh, Raphoe, Co. Donegal.

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   Topics

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

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Willie Magee

   Gender

   Male

   Informant

   Andrew Magee

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   57

   Address

   Saint Johnstown, Co. Donegal