School: Meath Hill (roll number 7166)

Location:
Meath Hill, Co. Meath
Teacher:
Patrick J. Connolly
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0712, Page 237

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0712, Page 237

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  3. XML “Composition on Old Houses”

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  1. Long ago the houses in this district were made mostly with mud. They were thatched with straw, with reeds and with sods. A bed called a settle-bed was kept in the kitchen, along the back wall. There are settle-beds kept in some of the houses nowadays. Turf and wood were the fuel that was burned in the houses long ago. The fire was nearly always at the gable end of the house. In some of the houses long ago, there was no glass in the windows, but wire was put in instead. Half-doors were common and are still common, in this district. Long ago the people in this district made rush-lights and dips, to give them light during the night. There are very small windows in some of the old houses nowadays. This is the result of a superstition that if you broke out a new window on a house, especially on the back, you would break your luck. In the houses long ago the chimneys were made of mud and sallies which were supported
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Romuald Connolly
    Gender
    Male