School: Cill Chonaill (Cailíní)
- Location:
- Kilconnell, Co. Galway
- Teacher: Máire, Bean Uí Shéaghdha
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0043, Page 0253
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- (continued from previous page)253Thatching
Thatching was a very important trade long ago. There were special men for the job. In this district there are not many thatched ones as the slated houses have taken the place of the comfortable old thatched ones and it will take time to prove will they be as good as the ones they replaced.
In preparation for thatching the corn is first threshed with a flail, as machine threshed straw is broken or as least not as good as the old way. The straw was then drawn and made into bundles. Rods, hazel in preference to another were pulled and pointed. Scollops they were called. The thatcher has a long ladder and gets up on the roof and levels it off. Then he takes the drawn straw in handfuls and starts underneath leaving the ladder for guide. He leaves six handfuls of straw to his right, put a scallop across the middle of the straw to hold it in position. A scollop twisted in the middle and doubled is called a squeeser. Two squeesers are driven into the roof to keep the scollops in position. Another six handfuls of straw are placed over the first to keep the straw in position. Lena Kenny
Hillswood,
Kilconnell
Nov 14th 38
- Collector
- Lena Kenny
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Hillswood, Co. Galway
