School: Emly (B.) (roll number 16059)
- Location:
- Emly, Co. Tipperary
- Teacher: Tomás Ó Lachtnáin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0580, Page 099
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- XML School: Emly (B.)
- XML Page 099
- XML “The Thatcher”
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- Thatching is a special trade of its own in this district. There are only about four men here that know how to thatch. They are mostly oldish. There is no young man that knows the trade. A thatcher uses a sharp knife, a rake, & a piece of leather in his hand. The knife is very sharp & also very large. The knife is used for paring the thatch. The rake is used for raking down the old thatch & for raking loose gosses in the road. The bit of leather is used to protect his hand from the scollops when he is driving them in the thatch. He uses a fork to hold the bundle of reed & he uses a bag of hay for under his knees. He makes a "garsún" out of the end of a bundle of reed tied with a cord for holding the scollops. There is a man always helping him & he is said to be "tending the thatcher". He begins thatching at the eave & works upwards. He takes suitable pieces out of the bundle. He turns the seed side up & secures it with a scollop. There must be two points on the scollop. When he gets up half way he doubles it in two. Then he pares the bent side. He would clean it down then & pare it. He pares the eave in line with the old thatch. On(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Thomas O' Shea
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Ballinvreena, Co. Tipperary
