School: Tobar Pádraig (roll number 4764)

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1. Old Houses (continued)

   

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   that the people had no lamps. Instead of lamps there were other things used. They were viz, bog deal splinters, candles, dip rush lights. Rush lights were made from a woollen cloth, well soaked in grease from fat bacon. Candles were made locally. There are some thatched houses in this district yet. Thatched houses are warmer than slate ones. Small houses are warmer than large ones, but for a large family a larger house is needed. A large family in a small house is very unhealthy. The houses we have now are different altogether than the houses long ago. The olden beds were wooden. They were in the form of a tent or camp. The front of this camp was hung with curtains. Straw was used as a mattress. Piles of feathers were placed on this mattress. I have seen some of these myself. When people are sleeping in them they draw the curtains across.

   I know an old house near the village. It must be very old as the roof had almost fallen in. There is an old woman, whose name is Mrs. Kavanagh living in it. There are laurels, ivy and holly growing around it. It is almost hidden in amongst these shrubs. There is an orchard behind it. There are iron bars around the windows. There are two half doors in the doorway, closing in the centre. The finest tree of red berry holly in the district is growing outside the door of this house. Also the finest apples and pears are growing in the orchard.

   The house in which the Punch family is now living was in the time of the old R.I.C., a court-house.

   

   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

   Thomas Boland

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Patrickswell, Co. Limerick