School: Cor na Gaoithe (roll number 7495)

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1. Sweat-Houses

   

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   The first Sweat-house built in this locality was that in Corradeveret (now called Corrard) Parish of Killinagh. -
   The old lady who told me about this particular Sweat-house says it was built for her great-great-grandmother, a Mrs Carson. The man who built it was a Doctor Greden, he was a nephew of Mrs Carson's, and he recommended 'Sweating', - as a cure for Rheumatism, and all bone-aches.

   Building of the Sweat-house.
   First a circular building of stones was made, this had a small entrance. This building was roofed with flag-stones over which clay was put in layers. This was re-covered with sods. The whole building was plastered outside with clay. The floor inside the sweat-house was also flagged.

   How the Sweat-house fire was made.
   Live coals were placed in the middle of the floor; and around this turf were built in the form of a clamps. The entrance was then sealed with rushes, and the fire was left burning till evening. When the fire had burned low, the ashes were removed and the floor was strewn with green rushes. Then, the women or men who wished to sweat entered; the entrance was sealed again with the rushes; and the inmates remained there from one to two hours. During the period they remained inside the sweat-house, they sweated profusely. This was supposed to be a cure for Rheumatism.
   The Turkish Baths of to-day had their origin in the Sweat-houses of long ago.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. social activities (~7)
         1. entertainments and recreational activities (~5,933)

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Mary Little

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   72