School: O'Brennan, Baile Mhic Ealgóid, Tráighlí

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1. Old Houses (continued)

   

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   of yellow clay - pounded very hard like the walls.
   Half-doors were very common in old houses and were also very useful as they kept out the pigs and kept in the children.
   The fire was placed on the flag of the hearth under the chimney, and there was often much smoke.
   The light was a splinter of bog deal."

   I take the above as a standard of the composition I got on "Old Houses"
   The Poles or rafters were tied together by means of wooden "brads". Rushes were used with the clay to prevent splitting & cracking.
   Floors were hard to be kept clean and therefore clean sand was often spread over it.
   In the windows you had a frame and shutters, but no glass. The shutters were shut at night to keep out cats and other animals but were open by day to let in light and let out the smoke.
   The old houses were therefore badly ventilated and badly lighted.

   

   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

   Donal Leen

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Ballincollig, Co. Kerry