The houses in this parish long ago were made very funny. There were no such things as slates. It is how they used to be thatched with straw and sometimes the people would not have straw, they would have to tatch them with rushes. They used to be thatched half way down on the gable end also. For the chimney there used to be a hole down in the straw, and a bucket with the bottom off it tied over the hole. The old people in the houses were able to tell stories in English and in Irish. My grandfather is able to tell stories in Irish and in English. It was but a few people that was able.Bernie HughesJMcC9