School: Maoilinn (C.), Áth Treasna

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1. Old Houses (continued)

   

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   wheat, which meant hitting the sheaves against the ground so as to separate the grain from the straw. The straw left made excellent thatch and was called reed.
   Candles were almost unknown in those days and the people made something like them called "dips". This was fat or tallow rendered and poured into shapes or moulds. A string was then drawn through the centre and you had a good substitute for a candle.
   Turf was burned in most of these houses as bogs were plentiful in Ireland. Where turf could not be had, the people burned timber. The poorer classes went out and gathered furze roots which made a very good fire. Coal was never used in these homes, as the people found it too expensive and not so easy to manage as turf or coal.

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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

   Kathleen Sullivan

   Gender

   Female

   Informant

   Mr Jeremiah Barry

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Meenkearagh, Co. Cork