School: Corderay (roll number 12735)

Location:
Shancurry, Co. Leitrim
Teacher:
Seán Ó Céilleachair

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Sweat-House in Murhaun below Drumshanbo on Dowra Road

Archival Reference

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0208, Page 247

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There was one in Francis Mulvey's land on the mearin of John McTiernan's land and in the townland of Murhaun.
Joseph Rourke of Shaskinacurry saw it in use. The last use made was about fifty four years ago he says. The old men and women went to it. Catherine Rourke a grandmother to the late Patsey Dolan of Shaskinacurry was a great believer in it. It was a round house and the foundation stones are there yet. The entrance hole or door was hardly two feet high and they had to take off their clothes outside and creep in and sit on the stone seat inside. There were three stone seats inside.
They first put down a great fire of good mountain turf and allowed the fire to burn until all the smoke was gone and only a heap of "greesah" remained.
The smoke went out on a hole on top. They then went in and stuffed the hole on top and the hole they crept through on the stone seats they sat until they sweated all they could. When they were able to stick the heat no longer they came

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Collector
Seán Ó Céilleachair
Gender
male
Occupation
múinteoir
Language
English