School: Leachtbhruadair (Loughfooder) (roll number 14366)

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1. A Local Thatcher (continued)

   

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   and the grass is shaken from it.
   It is then bound in bundles.
   A ladder is placed against the side of the house in such a way that it lies evenly on the roof, from the eve to the top.
   The thatcher first prepares the bed where the new coat of thatch is to lie and cleans off all rubbish.
   He must have somebody on the ground who keeps him supplied with thatch.
   The thatch is handed up in bundles.
   The thatcher opens each bundle and puts on a handful of the thatch each time.
   Each handful must overlap the handful under it, part of the way.
   The thatching is done in strips from the top of the house to the eve on each side. Each strip is about two feet wide, that is, the amount the thatcher can do without removing the ladder.
   The thatch when put on, is bound firmly with spars.
   The spars are made from cuttings of briars or twigs.
   A person who goes cutting spars, for thatch, is often said to be cutting or picking "scollops" (anglicised from of the Irish scolb)
   Spars made from briars or twigs are the best because they can be bent without breaking into pieces.
   The thatcher points the spars at both ends and then drives the pointed ends into the thatch, as a staple is driven into wood.
   The End.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. trades and crafts (~4,680)
            1. thatching (~353)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Mícheál P. Ó Murchadha

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Teacher

   Address

   Knocknagashel, Co. Kerry

   Informant

   Mr Bartholomew Hickey

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   55

   Occupation

   Farmer

   Address

   Meenleitrim North, Co. Kerry