School: Curratavy

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1. Old Crafts in Glangevlin - Sweat-Houses

   

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   During the past fifty or sixty years the people around are losing the old customs regarding cures. There was one very peculiar method of curing rheumatism and other pains long ago and this was going to a sweat-house and sweating for some time there. This house was made of walls of stones, and a large round flog on top to serve as a roof. On some of these little houses, the people would cover the roof with mud also, probably, to keep the heat in better.
   At first a man would go, and fetch a large dry creel of mountain turf. He would leave this at the door of the sweat-house. Then he would go and cut a good load of rushes. It was the custom to try and get the greenest in the field, and this he would leave at the door also. Before putting on the fire, some used to go and get a load of useless hay to close the door during the sweating hours, but this was only the custom in some places.
   Now the man would creep in on his hands and knees. Some one would have to be outside to throw in the turf, while he would be making the fire. When the creel was emptied, the next thing to be done was to prepare the floor for the sweating. The load of rushes was pushed through the small door, which was not a very easy job to go, and the person within would open it.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Roise Ní Sámhráin

   Gender

   Female