School: Drumcrow
- Location:
- Drumcrow, Co. Cavan
- Teacher: B. Boylan
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0982, Page 156
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- XML “Thatching”
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- Thatching is an old craft and the whole world knows about it. There are only a few good thatchers in every district. Thatching is done in early Spring or in the end of Winter. Straw threashed with a flail is preferred. At first the straw is pulled and left in neat bundles. Then "scollops" are cut and dressed. Certain kinds of wood are used for those "scollops" namely sallys, privet, and hazel. Those "scollops" are about two feet in length. At first the thatcher rakes off the old dirt and rotten straw with a thatching rake. This rake is made of two pieces of timber and nails. He then starts at the "eason" and takes a "bench" abut the width of a ladder. Then the thatcher takes a handful of straw twists the end of it. Then he "stopples" it into the roof with a "stoppler". This "stoppler" is a small iron fork with a wooden handle. When he is finished with that "bench" he puts "scollops" on the "eason" (or eave) and on the rigging. He leaves "scollops"(continues on next page)
