School: Glassalts (roll number 1239)

Location:
Glasalt or Treanfasy, Co. Donegal
Teacher:
M. P. Ó Dochartaigh
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1116, Page 133

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1116, Page 133

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  3. XML “Old Houses”

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  1. Old Houses
    There are four ruins of houses in the townland of Altashane, two in Cabadoey and one in Altashane and one in Claggan. About fifty years ago it was all clay floors in the houses. The houses were all built three feet wide. Nearly every house was thatched and it was a very odd one that was slated. Nearly every house had a kitchen bed, they had two "jams" one in every side of the bed. The old houses were "clashed" in the inside with blue clay and lime mixed. In old times the people used to have hens up in the loft. When a cow or a horse would be sick the people used to take them in and tie them in the side of the house. Every house as one story high. About twenty years ago the old women used to have the hens laying in a bed in the kitchen bed. The old people thatched the houses with flax, straw and rushes. When they would be going to thatch the house with flay they always put the flax in a "lint dam" to thicken for a week or so. Then the flax is taken out and made into sheaves. After that the flax is stooked and left to dry. Then it is put on the house and tied down with ropes. In the old houses the room floor was clay and if there were any holes in it they put blue clay and lime mixed in them
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. objects
      1. man-made structures
        1. buildings
          1. residential buildings (~2,723)
    Language
    English