School: Eslin (roll number 10026)

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1. Old Houses

   

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   In ancient Ireland at the time of Saint Patrick the old houses were round. They were made from wattles and they covered on the outside with mud and clay. About one hundred years ago most of the houses were made of mud wall, and were thatched with rushes and straw. Some of the old houses were roofed with boards of timber.

   The rushes were in the fields and sometimes it was thatched from oaten straw and wheaten straw and rye straw. The slates were got in quarries. There is a settle bed in every kitchen. The settle bed is like a big box folded up against the wall during the day and is painted red.

   The fire place was usually against the gable wall. It was never in the corner or against the side wall. The front of the chimney is made of mortar and stones. Old people remember of houses that had no chimneys and no windows and no doors and the fire was placed in the centre of the floor.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. objects
      1. man-made structures
         1. buildings
            1. residential buildings (~2,723)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Margaret K. Wynne

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Drumraghool South, Co. Leitrim