School: Abbeytown Convent N.S. (roll number 15043)

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1. Old Houses (continued)

   

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   ation.

   They were very small only consisting of a little kitchen and room The walls were built of stone and were plastered with clay, which was carried on their backs from a nearby bog. The roofing consisted of ''scraws'' over which they threw rushes on sedge. This was placed on the roof as reckless looking as they could possibly make it, as they knew that if the local landlord saw them making any improvements, on having things fixed neatly he would raise their rents. The fire as usually in the centre of the kitchen floor over which they left an outlet in the roof for the little spiral of smoke to gush forth. Thick glassy transparent paper was used instead of glass for windows and no house had anymore than two of those in them. There was only one door in them and that as the front one which was rudely constructed of sawed branches of trees and as so small that the inhabitants had to creep into the house on their hands and feet
   Half . doors were rare in the districts.

   A white . washed house was unknown in those time, but, their aim was to have them as poverised and dilapidated looking

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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

   Informant

   Mr Patrick Martin

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Boyle, Co. Roscommon