School: Lisnagirl (1)

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1. Old Houses

   

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   The houses that existed in the district long ago were low and long and contained one or two large rooms. The walls were built of mud or blue clay-usually got deep down in the bottom of old bogs. This clay when worked or mixed, dried as hard as any stone or brick.
   The roof was made of bog oak rafters, over which were placed fir branches. Then a straw was spread on this and then thatched (and then thatched) with straw or rushes.
   There were usually one or two beds in the kitchen. These beds were folded up in the day time, and made an excellent seat and were very warm and comfortable to sleep in. These beds were called settle beds, and there are still a lot of them in use to-day.
   The fireplace was usually placed in the centre gable - if the house contained two rooms, so as to keep both rooms warm. The chimney was made of wood and the arch or brace was made of bog oak, clay and wattles placed in the shape of a cone The fire was on the hearth or ground

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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

   Tilly Dancey

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   12

   Address

   Beagh Glebe, Co. Cavan