School: Gusserane
- Location:
- Gusserane, Co. Wexford
- Teacher: Peadar Mac Fheorais
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0871, Page 275
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- XML “Old Houses”
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- Long ago houses were built of yellow clay and roofed with thatch and slates. Straw was pulled and that was used for thatch. Slates were got at the slate quarry. The fire place was always by the gable end. The front of the chimney was made with laths nailed across and "fangers" tied on them and plastered with yellow clay morter called beageen. "Fangers" are latches of straw with one end twisted. The old floors were made of beageen too. Half doors are very common in this district. The half doors are used to keep out fowl and let in air and light at the same time. Turf and timber and balls were used for firing. Balls were made from cow dung mixed with slack coal and made into little balls
They were laid up on the hob to dry. When they were dry they were burned. Bog deal was used for light. Dale that was found in the bog was dried and cut into chips.
They were lit and that gave light.
Tallow and Resin candles were used to give light too, the people used to make them themselves.
- Collector
- Thomas Foley
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Rathumney, Co. Wexford
- Informant
- William Berney
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Rathumney, Co. Wexford
