In the old, every body could thatch. It used to be a trade with some people going around to the villages looking for houses to thatch. They used to be paid for thatching the houses. There were not very many good thatchers in my locality. Mark Devane's father was a good thatcher. His name was Michael Devane, and he is dead for the past twenty years. Michael Cunningham, John Cunningham's father was an other good thatcher. He lived in Creevaugh. Michael Walshe's father, Pat Walsh was an other good thatcher. He lived in Coole. He died two years ago. They never had any {?} for thatching. They always thatched with straw ropes and a long iron needle to put the rope into it. When he would be thatching there would be a man inside to pull in the needle for him and to put out the needle again to the man out side. The man out side would haveErin Gill