School: Clochar na Trocaire

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1. Old-Time Houses

   

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   Long ago houses in Ireland were built of stones and instead of cement, a kind of yellow clay was used. This is known as "márlá ban" in Irish. Windows were rare, and the usual thing was one small window in the front of the house. This did not contain any glass but a little wooden shutter. The roof was made of heather and sometimes of flat stones like slates. The fire place was usually in the middle of the floor and a large pipe formed the chimney. In each kitchen there was a space in the form of angle protruding outward where some member of the family slept. This was known as a "caileach" in Irish. There was a space in the wall over the fire place for a salt box in each house. A salt box was a very common present given to people when going to live in a new house. Behind each door there was a type of crate made of straw known as a "puca". Here the hens layed. At each fire place there was a "suisteog" (a type of chair made of plaited straw) for the woman of the house. All the kitchen utensils were so made of oak cups, sycamore plates. In each dresser there were six noggins (wooden drinking vessels) Wood pails for bringing water was known as piggins which were carried on the [?] head on a "fúimin" the little pad on the head.

   

   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

   Vera Mc Grath

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Tuam, Co. Galway

   Informant

   Mrs Mc Grath

   Relation

   Grandparent

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Tuam, Co. Galway