School: Clooncullaun (roll number 13163)

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1. Old Houses (continued)

   

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   The floors were usually made of mortar but many had clay floors. The thatch consisted of straw -- wheaten oaten and rye straw but some of the poorer houses were thatched with rushes or reeds especially those built near a lake or boggy land.
   The chimney was usually in the gable wall and had in most cases a flue made of stone and mortar but some had flues made of clay and wattles while others had no flue but just a hole in the roof over the fire. Many houses had a bed in the kitchen -- some in an outlet from the side wall, called an alcove, while others had a settle bed which was opened at night but closed during the day.
   Many of the less pretentious houses had no ceiling or covering under the raw thatch roof. Half-doors were common to keep ducks and hens out of the kitchen. Rush lights -- dip candles and resin candles were used for lighting purposes. In general the standard of comfort, accommodation and hygiene in the old homestead was usually low. This was principally caused by insecurity of tenure. The occupiers were never sure that they would be allowed to retain possession permanently.

   

   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

   Informant

   Patrick Keaveny

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   65

   Address

   Clooncullaan, Co. Roscommon