School: An Gort Mór (roll number 8984)
- Location:
- Gortmore North, Co. Monaghan
- Teacher: Máire Nic Cárrain
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0954, Page 045
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- XML “Old Houses”
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- The houses were all thatched in olden times. The thatch came from corn or wheat. When the corn was threshed the stem of the corn did for the thatch.
Some of the old houses had a bed in the kitchen. This bed was called a settle bed. When this bed was not in use it served for a seat. The bed when in use was set in front of the fire withe a cover over it. The fire-place was at the gable wall. The front of the chimney was made out of mortar and clay and wattles. They had only one window with no glass in it. The floors were made out of clay. There were half-doors made of wood and netting-wire. Bog oak and turf were put on the fire. Candles were made out of fat a rushes. First the fat was boiled. Then the rush was peeled and then dipped in the water that the fat was boiled in. Then the fat was wrapped round the rush and the rush served as a wick. This candle showed light at night.
- Collector
- Eoghan Ó Cléireachán
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Skeagh, Co. Monaghan
- Informant
- Felix Clerkin
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 48
- Address
- Skeagh, Co. Monaghan
