A very old Thatch house in Co. Laois

1. The beginning – just look at that corrugated iron roof! Many thatched houses in Ireland were covered in corrugated iron, as many owners found it a cheaper and more permanent way of protecting their roof.


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2. Roof off!
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3. Thatching starts
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Deirdre from Laois writes to say:

Hi Robert

Just found your website today and I think it’s wonderful.

What a great idea!

My name is Deirdre and I'm currently renovating a very old thatched house in Laois. The thatchers started thatching last week and are making good progress.

It’s not just the roof which needed repair but the whole house!

Mud walls and all.

When the house is finished I would love it to be included on your website.

I've attached some photos of the progress so far, which will give you an idea of what it will look like when it’s complete. I loved the photo gallery on your web site; the houses in Wexford seem to have a particular style about them. Have you seen the website about the thatch and mud walled farm house called the 'Mayglass Farmstead, Pollwitch, Wexford' which was restored in the last few years (more as a museum not as a dwelling)? It looks very similar in style to one of the houses shown on your website. It dates back to the early 1700's.

I think your idea of categorising the houses according to county is brilliant.

It will become apparent at a glance the regional differences and styles.

Laois houses tend to be single story and long and narrow, I've been told that mine is unusually long, this is because each generation seems to have added to it over time.

The end bedroom used to be a stable when my father was a child. He remembers two horses being kept in there and it was made into a bedroom to accommodate some American relatives who came to visit in the 1950's. In keeping with this tradition I've squeezed in an attic bedroom.

My house appears on the first maps (around 1840); the map also shows the cowshed and pigsty which, judging by the stone work, were built about the same time as the dairy (bottom end of house) and stable (top end of house). When we removed the original external plaster work we could see clearly each addition to the original two roomed house.
Three altogether if the dairy and stable were added at the same time. So, from this information we're guessing the house was built in the 1700's. There was also evidence of a back door directly opposite the front door which suggests the house was originally a byre dwelling (i.e. people and animals shared the same accommodation) I think byre dwellings are a very early type of home.

Also, the internal partition wall between the original two rooms is stone and not mud (again a later addition) which also suggests the house was a byre dwelling and is indeed very old. It’s a shame there are no records to help identify the true age of the house.

I could go on, but I'd better not, I'm in danger of boring everyone to death on this subject!

I hope you will add my little house to your website once I've got a decent photo of it.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards
Deirdre

ps: Like you, I was told by just about everybody, especially the original surveyor (I've kept his report) and my parents, to knock it down and start again. Now, however, they're changing their tune.... I wish more people were brave enough to take on a house like this and try to keep it, despite the lack of encouragement and general negativity these houses seem attract. I know it’s not the easiest or cheapest option but it’s definitely the most satisfying.

It’s great to hear from you, Deirdre. You photos are absolutely wonderful! Will you keep us up to date as the project develops.

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