School: Gowna
- Location:
- Scrabby, Co. Cavan
- Teacher: Hugh Murray
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0986, Page 025
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“The Wendy night 1839 did dreadful damage around Scrabby.”
(continued from previous page)in the ground in the same way as if a person were erecting a modern shed. A small flag was placed underneath each stake. Up rose the walls bit by bit making sure the oak stakes were in the centre of the 3' walls all up. When the walls were full height holes were bored in the oak stakes at the tops. To these tops were attached the rafters all oak (black) Sods were got in the bog and with these the roof went on. Then the thatcher did the rest. The houses were all high gabled. The holes from which the clay was taken became the family sink in which bog mud was placed and the whole run of the house was directed into this sink. Sinks of this nature were a fruitful cause of disease and continued in use up to twenty years ago.
Cross walls in houses were always made of wicker work - also - chimney, flues. The wicker work was plastered with a mixture of lack clay and cow manure. This plaster was proof against smoke.