School: Magoney

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1. Thatching

   

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   Thatching straw is cut before it is ripe it is not threshed like other straw it is rippled. Then it is drawn fine and all grass removed. Then the Thatcher comes, gets a long ladder rest's it on the ground up to the eave of the house. He has a short ladder then which he ties to the long ladder, just the length of the roof. He stands on the right hand gable on his first stroke, A stroke is the breadth of a ladder. He than takes his thatching need and pierces the straw with it he fastens his rope on the inside by running a rod through the loop, that sews the thatch to the roof. He leaves four staples or handfuls and places them on the eave of the house. Then he takes his needle runs it down along the side of the ladder and sews the first row. He repeats that he goes to the top. When he sews the last row at the top he gets mortar and puts a head on it. He gets a bucket of water and throws it on the straw, then he gets his thatching rake and beats and strengthens each reed of straw. he gets his sheep sheers and clips

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   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

   Caoimhín Mac Eoghain

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   12

   Address

   Magoney, Co. Monaghan