School: Liathdruim (roll number 369)

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1. Old Houses

   

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   The houses in olden times were all thatched with straw or rushes. Wheaten straw was used mostly. Poor people sometimes used rushes. Nearly all the houses had a bed in the kitchen, This bed was called a "settle bed". The bed could be folded up and used as a seat. The bedclothes were always left inside when the bed was folded up. Many houses have this kind of bed yet. The walls of the houses were made of stone, but were often made of clay. The inside walls were very often made of clay. The fireplace was always in the gable-wall. The fire was nearly always on the hearth. On each side of the hearth were raised portions. These were called the "hobs". An iron "crann" was used for hanging pots over the fire. Over the fire and about two or three feet out from it a wooden beam ran from one sidewall of the house to the other. This was called the "brace" ?
   and was about 6 feet from the floor. It was enclosed around the chimney. Blue clay and sally rods were used to build it. Most houses had two rooms and a

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   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

   Mrs Mc Mahon

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   70

   Address

   Killyneill, Co. Monaghan