This report and inventory survey of thatched houses in CountyKildare, was commissioned by Kildare County Council fulfill-ing an objective of the Heritage Plan. It was funded by theHeritage Council. Thatched houses are becoming an increasing-ly rare site in the county. Most surviving thatched houses are ofgreat significance to the cultural, historical and architecturalidentity of the area, where features unique to the county stillsurvive intact.

Thatched houses remain a tangible link to the past, offering thepasserby the opportunity to appreciate the undulating wall sur-faces, small sash windows, the oaten thatch roof with its deepeaves hanging over the walls of the house. One can also appre-ciate the plank timber half doors.

Thatched houses should not, however, be viewed only in termsof what contribution they make to our interpretation of tradi-tions and customs of previous generations, they are essentiallyviable and practical places to live. Thatched houses are capableof responding to contemporary needs and living standards, andmany of the surviving houses are testimony to this.

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PREFACE

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Kildare County Council commissioned Charles Duggan,Architectural Heritage Advisor with Stephen Farrell, to revise athatch survey compiled during 1986-1987 by MichaelHigginbotham of the Office of Public Works (OPW). TheHigginbotham Survey identified 91 thatched buildings inKildare, of which 53 survive with varying degrees of intactness.Two additional thatched cottages, previously unidentified werealso found. The revised survey aimed to assess the rate of attri-tion and loss and to identify the attitudes and perceptions tothatch as a means of determining the future of the existing stockof thatched buildings and to the thatch industry in the county.The revised survey took place between April and September2005.

The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) for-mat was used to build up a record of each structure and to buildupon the data compiled in the 1987 survey. Where possiblesketch floor plans of interiors have been carried out. In most

cases floor plans were prepared without access to interiors, andwere based on observations including the position of chim-neystacks, the front door and window openings. Each standinghabited structure was measured externally.

In addition to the revision of the 1987 survey, tin-roofed hous-es, which were excluded in the former survey were identified.This cannot be claimed to be exhaustive, though it is unlikelythat many more than the 55 tin-roofed houses identified will befound.

We are indebted to the owners and occupiers of these thatchedbuildings, who took the time to speak with the survey team, andwho were so forthcoming with valuable historical and anecdot-al information. We would like in particular to thank JackDonohue (thatcher), Eddie Molloy (son of Pat Molloy, thatch-er) who were helpful in building a picture of the thatching tra-dition in the county.

Fig. 1 This house in Killeen West repre-sents both the simplicity and grace thata well maintained thatched houseembodies. (Site number 63)

INTRODUCTION

“Rural vernacular or traditional architecture is the construction ofsmall plain buildings in the countryside (particularly before 1925)where the dominant influence is siting, materials, form and designin the local folk tradition. Such vernacular buildings will have beentypical of a common type in any given locality and will lack theindividualism and educated design features that characterisedinternational fashions in formal architecture during the same peri-od. Rural vernacular houses may be recognised as such by meetingmost of the primary characteristics listed...”Historic Buildings Council, Townland Survey, 1996-97 in Northern Ireland

The thatched buildings of County Kildare are represented byquite distinct characteristics, many of which relate to the mate-rials used in their construction, alterations that have been madein the past, and also the prevailing tastes for functional and dec-orative detailing such as the twisted or roped ridge with bobbinsto either end.

Prevailing Characteristics in County KildareOf the thatched houses surveyed in County Kildare the follow-ing characteristics have been noted. In some cases a cottage sur-veyed may exhibit more than one characteristic.

• Windbreakers or shallow porch projections which are notpartitioned internally, and simply form a prolonged lobby.

• Lobby entrance to central bay (not formally or placed tocentre).

• Direct entry to kitchen with opening located at farthestend from the hearth.

• Porch extensions to both lobby and direct entry houses.• Oaten thatch with twisted or roped ridge with bobbins.• Artificial slate/corrugated metal/slate roof covering to sin-

gle-bay pitched roof extensions, mostly c. mid twentiethcentury.

• Extensions placed at either end of the house, sometimesforming byres.

Characteristics of Irish Vernacular Architecture• Absence of a formal floor plan.• Absence of drawing or written specification.• Presence of a linear, elongated rectangular plan.• Typical depth of six metres.• Mass load-bearing walls.• Hearths and chimneys located along the axis of the linear

plan.• Door openings in long walls into kitchen.• Doors and windows on long walls and a linear house form

which is extended along its length or by the addition of asecond storey.1

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VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

1. Buttermer, N., Rynne, C., Guerin, H., (eds), The Heritage of Ireland. The Collins Press, Cork.

The values attributed to vernacular architecture and our under-standing of their significance is greatly enhanced by such cate-gorisations. While the characteristics are applicable countrywideeach county will exhibit nuances that generally defy categorisa-tion. The most obvious contrast in type would be the stone builtgabled thatched houses of the west of Ireland with the low slungclay-walled hipped roof houses of the eastern regions. It is theregional variations and local traditions, which is subtle evidenceof the endurance of local practices and preferred methodologieshanded down orally from generation to generation.

ICOMOS Charter on The Built Vernacular Heritage(Mexico, 1999)The International Committee of Monuments and Sites (ICO-MOS) has ratified a charter on built vernacular heritage. Thecharter recognises that vernacular heritage is “the fundamentalexpression of the culture of a community, of its relationshipwith its territory[...]”. The charter identifies the issues currentlyfacing this heritage as “problems of obsolescence, internal equi-librium and integration.” These are the issues which currentlyface both the local authority and owners of thatched housesalike. The charter sets down the principles of conservation withregard to the vernacular built heritage, and it is the challenge ofboth local authorities and owners of thatched buildings toaddress these principles.

Principles of Conservation1. The conservation of the built vernacular heritage must be

carried out by multidisciplinary expertise while recognizingthe inevitability of change and development, and the needto respect the community’s established cultural identity.

2. Contemporary work on vernacular buildings, groups andsettlements should respect their cultural values and their tra-ditional character.

3. The vernacular is only seldom represented by single struc-tures, and it is best conserved by maintaining and preservinggroups and settlements of a representative character, regionby region.

4. The built vernacular heritage is an integral part of the cul-tural landscape and this relationship must be taken into con-sideration in the development of conservation approaches.

5. The vernacular embraces not only the physical form andfabric of buildings, structures and spaces, but the ways inwhich they are used and understood, and the traditions andthe intangible associations which attach to them.

The charter also outlines crucial “guidelines in practice” whichadvises on how best to meet the principles of conservation ofvernacular architecture. The topical issue of the adaptation ofvernacular buildings to meet contemporary needs is one of theseven guidelines. “The adaptation and reuse of vernacular struc-tures should be carried out in a manner which will respect theintegrity of the structure, its character and form while beingcompatible with acceptable standards of living.[...]”. The guide-lines also recognise the need for up-skilling and training withinthe building and conservation sector, and of improving publicawareness of vernacular architecture.

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House-types in County KildareA description made by Thomas James Rawson of the typicalfarm yard complex in Kildare, described it thus: ‘the farm-hous-es in general consist of a long thatched building of one storey,containing a large kitchen and fire-place in the centre, and lodg-ing rooms at either end; the front door looks to the barns andstables at the right, behind is the haggard, and on the left sideare placed the cow and bullock houses’.2

There are some examples of such houses and farm complexessurviving today in County Kildare. However, this is but one ofa number of house types that are quite distinct. The first coor-dinated official census of Ireland took place in 1841. It providesan historical view of the prevailing house types in Kildare in the19th century. The census categorised four rural house types asfollows:

Class one: Gentleman’s residenceClass two: Larger farmhousesClass three: Smaller farmhouses Class four: Houses built of clay of perishable materials hav-

ing only one room and window. Cabins of thevery poor.

Of these categories each of the four classes are represented in thecurrent revised survey. The 1841 Census documents that 3846class two houses existed in Kildare. This figure rose by 666 bythe time the next census of 1861 was carried out. Of class three(smaller farm houses- being the bulk of the structures to survivetoday) there was a dramatic reduction in the numbers from9323 to 7296, a total reduction of 2027. The greatest reductionin building numbers was the class four type, which reducedfrom 5036 in number to 1857, within twenty years, amountingto a 63% reduction. The impact of the famine must account, in

part, for this dramatic reduction, even though it did not devas-tate Kildare to the same degree as other parts of Ireland. Whatis obvious from the statistical information is that the Famine allbut wiped out the most vulnerable and destitute. Such was theimpact on the population that it continued to decline until theestablishment of the Free State. ‘The population of Leinstercontinued to fall until after the 1926 census. ... Leinster sufferedless than most of the rest of the country. But, as a result, theamount of domestic building in the forty years after 1850 iscomparatively small, so that we are largely spared a phase ofdevelopment with which present taste is still out of sympathy.’3

The rate of change shows clearly the rise in class two houses andthe dramatic reduction in the levels of class four houses. Thiscan be viewed as a general improvement of housing conditionsduring the second half of the nineteenth century, as much as itrepresents the decline in population numbers of the vulnerable,who generally occupied the class four category house.

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HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Fig.2: A single-storey thatched farm house at Allenwood, Co. Kildare,which is nestled against the gentle slope of a field behind.

2. Rawson, Thomas James, Statistical Survey of the County of Kildare, Dublin, 1807, pp. 14-15.3. Craig, Maurice, The Personality of Leinster, Mercier Press, 1971. p.61.

The following rather bleak description of the category four house-type, which was once a common site in the raised bog areas ofKildare, illustrates in great detail the general form of the structureand how it was erected. It refers specifically to a description givento Reverend J. Hall, which he documents in Tour ThroughIreland, providing a valuable indication of the domestic circum-stances of the landless labourer class during the nineteenth centu-ry. It is this house category that saw such a dramatic reduction inthe twenty years between the 1841 and 1861 census survey.

“I have a bog colony whose buildings are not of clay, but of turf,and very much varied; some attempt walls, with large blocks orsquares of turf, which they commonly raise three or our feet; thecommon breadth of these tenements is about six feet, sometimes notabove five; in these walls they place bog-sticks made fast at theangles with ropes of sedge; these timbers they cover with bog-sods,leaving a hole about the middle of the building for the smoke toescape; they use no thatch; they have no doors, nor door frames; theopenings they secure with ill-jointed boards, which the families havehad for perhaps half a century; they want no windows – when thebog-blocks or squares in the walls and on the roof dry, they havechinks and a free circulation of air through the whole building; theyhave neither pigs nor poultry, but their chief property is an ass, whoin winter partakes of the advantage of their fireside, and the shel-ter of their cabin in common with the family.

Some of these huts are a mere excavation of the dry bog, andsome are formed by placing bog timbers against the high banks andcovered with sods, this saying that six out of the number have notthe luxury of thatch.” 4

A rare example of such a structure was photographed early inthe 20th century on the bog in County Kildare. The habitationdoes not have an A-frame roof structure, rather a simply formedcovering lined with heather or some herbage that was immedi-ately available. It is the humblest of structures, without any hintof self conscious, self improvement, design or permanence. It isa primitive, yet reasonably efficient and natural response to animmediate need, that of seasonal habitation. It was erected,most likely, during the turf cutting campaigns.

The rather distressing living conditions of the poorest inhabi-tants of County Kildare are confirmed by Samuel Lewis’Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, which also provides animportant insight into this house-type which has been erasedfrom the landscape.

“The circumstance and appearance of those of the population locat-ed on the bogs, or their immediate vicinity, are very unfavourable.On each side of those parts of the canal that pass through the bogthe land is let in small lots to turf-cutters, who take up their resi-dence on the spot, however dreary and uncomfortable. Their firstcare is to excavate a site for a habitation on the driest bank that canbe selected, which is sunk so deep that little more than the roof isvisible; this is covered with scanty thatch, or, more frequently, withturf pared from the bog, laid with the herbage upwards,which soperfectly assimilates with the aspect of the surrounding scenery thatthe eye would pass over it unnoticed, were it not undeceived by theappearance of children and domestic animals sallying from a holein one side, and by the occasional gush of smoke from the numerouschinks in the roof.” 5

There were of course more permanent structures for the poor,which were slightly better off than the former sod-built houses.The single-roomed cabin, such as that in Fig. 3, which is nes-tled into the side of a hill, is a good example. This is a stonebuilt structure with a small chimney detected on the hill side. Itappears direct entry, and is lit internally by two small windowopenings. What is equally interesting is the outbuildingattached to the end of the house. It forms a temporary post andwattle byre, with a crude sod roof with tree branches fixed to itsslopes forming stays, preventing what appears to be a herbagecovering from falling away.

Ó Danachair says of such buildings: “Such a house, given amodest degree of prosperity for the occupants, could be neatand comfortable, while poverty and neglect could make it ill-kept and miserable”.6

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4. Hall, Rev. J, Tour Through Ireland, London 1813, Vol.1, p. 57.5. Lewis, Samuel, Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837, ii, p. 84.6. JCKAS, 1966/67, p.235

Today, there are five main types of thatched houses to survive inCounty Kildare. The first of these is the thatched mansion, gen-erally stone built, rising to two storeys in height and of quiteearly origins. The next category is the gentleman farmers house,which is generally single-storey, semi-formal in design, and withwindows of Georgian proportions. The third type identified isthe single-storey farm house with attending farm buildings,many arranged to form a forecourt, enclosed from the road bya simple boundary wall, and others forming groups of buildingsarranged in a more random configuration. The fourth type isthe cottage within a site of limited scale (possibly former cottiershouses), to which accretions have not generally been added. Thefinal type is the crossroads-sited house that generally served apublic function, such as the local forge, the local shop, postoffice and public house. What survives today, though now quitelimited in number when compared with 1987, is broadly repre-sentative of the thatched house-types historically in Kildare. Thenotable exception to this is the impermanent hut or cabin, partcovered excavation, part turf sod-walled structure, of which typeno traces remain.

Type One: The Thatched MansionThere are two surviving thatched mansions in County Kildare,a reduction of one from the three identified in theHigginbotham Survey of 1987. A thatched mansion is essential-ly a large two-storey thatched house, generally four bays or moreacross. It is widely understood that the thatched mansion devel-oped from the 17th century. Caoibhín Ó Danachair points outthat ‘another Irish building tradition possibly of medieval ori-gin, which expressed itself in the “thatched mansion”, [was] thelarge two-storied thatched house which was common as thedwelling of prosperous farmers and lesser gentry in the 17th and18th centuries, and which seems, in many cases to have beenreplaced by our typical Georgian mansion under the influenceof the fashion of the later 18th century.’7

The rareness of this typology adds to their significance. ÓDanachair has documented in detail the development of oneparticular thatched mansion in Kildare, Greatrath (see Fig.3). Ina discussion with the owner, Mr. Edmund Cleary, whose ances-tors were in occupation of Greatrath since 1717, the develop-ment and changes to the structure were understood within thecontext of his ancestors history. Such documentation, now near-ly fifty years old, is an invaluable oral record of the history ofone house.

According to Ó Danachair each storey was ‘simply divided by apartition. Access to the upper storey was provided by a movableladder through a trap door in the floor. The two upper roomswere bedrooms each of them had a fireplace in the gable wall.Each of the two ground floor rooms also had its fireplace: on theleft of the door was the kitchen with its real open hearth andbuilt-in oven, and on the right the other room, now used forgeneral purposes, part store, part sitting room, part extra sleep-

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EXISTING CATEGORIES OF HOUSE TYPES IN COUNTY KILDARE

Fig. 3: Image of cotter’s house in County Kildare, courtesy of Departmentof Irish Folklore. (UCD. A015.09.00017)]

7. JCKAS, 1966/67, pp.243.

ing accommodation.’8 The use of bread ovens as documented inthe foregoing passage has its origins in 17th century.9 The breadoven was uncovered in recent upgrading works to Greatrath,which had been blocked-up in the past. The oven survives andhas proved a convenient conduit for plumbing provisions. Apermanent stairs (with a gentle slope) was introduced, c. 1770,against the internal partition wall in the middle of the house.This was in turn enclosed from the kitchen by a second parti-tion, and this, with new windows, gave the house its presentmain internal form. The roof structure was replaced, c. 1900,which resulted in the lowering of the wall at eaves level. It wasintended at this time to cover the new roof with slate.Fortunately it was decided to re-thatch instead.

Both thatched mansions are located within the townland ofGreatrath, which is significant in light of the distribution ofthatched houses within the county. It suggests a certain wealthassociated with the townland and also on the part of the farm-ers who occupied both structures from the 17th century on-wards. The third thatched mansion identified by Higginboth-am, in the townland of Boley Great, was demolished in 1992.

Type Two: The Gentleman’s FarmhouseThis is also a rare typology within the county and refers to sin-gle-storey thatched houses set apart from the vernacular by thegentlemanly pretensions of Georgian proportioned windows,and fine volumetric qualities and architectural detailing inter-nally. In each case the house is accompanied by good sizedranges of stone outbuildings, and is set within fine grounds. Thegeneral form and architectural detailing suggests a date of c.1800 onwards. One such gentleman’s farmhouse is The Herm-itage, (Fig. 7) located within the townland of Boley Great,where a fine thatched mansion was demolished in 1992. Suchfine structures located within the same townland further sug-gests the prosperity historically associated with the area.Another includes the Farrington’s Stud (inventory no. 29) locat-ed near Jiggenstown in Naas.

Type Three: The elongated HouseThis typology is perhaps the most plentiful in the county. Ineach case the house is single-storey and ranges in size from threebays to seven bays in length. These are relatively large houses,which retain the one room deep plan common to all vernacularthatched buildings in the county. Each to a greater or lesser

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Fig. 4: Greatrath, Co. Kildare, an exceptionally fine example of thethatched mansion in the county.

Fig. 5: The second thatched mansion in Greatrath, Co. Kildare

8. JCKAS, 1966/67, pp.243. 9. Sleeman, Mary, Thatched Houses of County Cork, Cork County Council, 2004, p. 16.

extent represents a series of accretions and additions which havebeen added over time to accommodate the growing families andfortunes of its inhabitants. In most cases extensions are easilyidentified, generally by smaller chimneystacks to one or eitherend of the house, in addition to the large stout hearth chim-neystack which formed the principal dividing wall in the housebefore the later additions. Irregular bonding of the extension(generally a one bay addition to one or both ends) to the origi-nal house is evident in many cases, which helps to build up theevolution of the house. Another indicator is irregular fenestra-tion, the smaller windows generally belonging to the earlierparts of the house. Kinks evident on the ridge and eaves shouldalso help distinguish accretions. The setting and context of suchhouses is characterised by the placement of outbuildings per-pendicular to the dwelling house, flanking it to either side, thusforming a forecourt, which is enclosed from the road by a lowboundary wall. Less symmetrical and random placement of out-buildings has also been noted.

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Fig.6: (Top) The Hermitage, in the townland of Boley Great, Co.Kildare, appears to have been built between 1750-1800.Fig.7: (Above) Located at Thomastown Crossroads. Note the irregularplacement of the windows, and the smaller chimneystack over the gable.(Site no. 28).

Type Four:The Cottage on a Small HoldingThis house type is generally quite rare. Most houses originally ofthis type have been altered and extended over time. (Fig. 8) Ineach case the cottage forms a three-bay single-storey house, witha centrally placed door opening and a simple two-roomed inter-nal layout divided by the chimneybreast and jamb wall of thelobby entry. Extensions are generally located to the rear.Historically, these houses tend not to have outbuildings.

Type Five: Crossroads-sited houses There are a number of crossroads sited houses that serve publicfunctions. These may include the local forge, the local shop orpublic house. Each of these survive today in County Kildare.The importance of crossroads within the social infrastructure ofrural communities is evident by the development of buildings ofpublic use within close proximity of them. That crossroads aregenerally named, for instance Thomastown Crossroads, where awall mounted post box is inserted in the gate pier of a thatchedhouse in private use, signifies the importance within the social

dynamic of country life (see Fig. 9). Other examples include thetin-roofed public house at Ballagh Crossroads, O’Loughlin’sshop at Mountrice Crossroads, where a wall-mounted post boxand Grotto dedicated to the Virgin Mary attribute importanceto the junction. Close-by at another junction there is a forge,though it is no longer operational.

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Fig.8: (Left) This is the home of the thatcher JackDonohue in Robertstown, which is attached to abuilding, possibly a local school at one point. Thiscottage, which retains much of its original charac-ter faces onto the canal towpath.

Fig.9: O(Below) ’Loughlin’s shop at the end of athatched house at Mountrice Crossroads, sharesthe junction with a wall mounted post box andMarian shrine. (Site no. 28)

Type Six: New or Re-built Houses using Thatch A number of new structures which interpret the vernacular stylecomplete with thatched roofs have been built in recent years inKildare. There are some instances where a thatched house hasbeen dramatically enlarged, such as that represented in Figs. 10/11, located at Painestown Crossroads. Originally a three-bayhouse with a single-storey addition to one side, this house for-merly known as O’Neill’s pub, was prolonged by a single-storeysingle-bay addition linked to a dormer two-storey block break-ing forward from the building line and set perpendicular to theoriginal. Two thatched houses have been rebuilt using thatch.

The use of thatch in modern construction is to be welcomed fora number of reasons. It keeps the tradition alive, and where agrowing demand exists, so too will the thatchers with necessaryskills. Secondly the use of thatch in standard modern construc-tion as a viable alternative to the prevailing roof covering shouldhelp to alter the perception of it as something once used, but nolonger. It should also promote the demand for thatching mate-rial, a situation requiring much improvement.

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Fig. 11: Formerly O’Neill’s pub, located close to Painestown Crossroads,in its original form comprising a three bays single-storey house with aslate roofed single-bay addition. (Site number 06)

Fig.10: The house was dramatically enlarged when compared with theoriginal. (Site number 06)

The prevailing historic roof type of the thatched houses inCounty Kildare is the single-span, hipped roof, which is normal-ly pitched at a 40°-45° angle. The roof structure generally com-prises quite a simple structure of A-framed principal rafter truss-es with collar beams, set at regular intervals standing just beneaththe top of the wall. This contrasts with more formal architecturewhere timber wall plates are generally employed to support theroof structure. This survey has identified at least one examplewhere the roof truss has settled outside of the wall itself, an irreg-ularity which adds to the interest of such a building.

There are also examples of gabled and half-gabled (or hipped-gabled) roof structures, historically around the Kilcullen area.These are, however, the exception rather than the rule.

Historically most thatch roof structures were exposed internally.However, by the 1940s most had been concealed behind tim-ber-framed tongued and grooved ceilings, which followed the

pitch of the roof, leveling off just beneath the collar beams. Theintroduction of ceilings to interiors must have have impacted onthe thatching methodologies, which historically required some-one both inside and outside, to receive the hemp rope used inlocal thatching. Today of course the rope is tied from without.Where original, each truss and collar beam is composed ofroughly hewn (rather than sawn) timber from the boughs oftrees which were normally locally or regionally sourced.However, according to one thatcher in Kildare, the majority ofroof structures are 20th century replacements and it is only rarefor an original to survive. In the preparation of this survey therewere limitations in terms of access to roof structures. Whereaccess was permitted there was limited space in which to assessthe form and type of the roof structure.

Examples of Roof Structures SurveyedFortunately it was possible to view the roof structure of fourcontrasting houses, one located by the Barrow Branch of the

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ROOF STRUCTURES

Fig.12: The hipped side elevation of a thatched house in Thomastownhas a slight bow resulting in an arc at the eaves . (Site no. 28)

Fig.13: The rough hewn A-framed timber roof structure of example one.(Site no. 24)

Grand Canal, another forming a modest three-bay cottage nearNurney, a now derelict farm house with a byre attached to oneend, and an intact farm house where the byre forms an obviousextension to the original house. In both the latter cases the roofstructure remains exposed.

Example One:This roof structure belongs to a rather handsome thatchedhouse, ennobled by formally proportioned windows and a seg-mental-arched doorcase on the facade. The proximity of thishouse to the canal tow path would suggest that it was construct-ed after the opening of the canal, and so may well date to thebeginning of the nineteenth century. The roof space is accessi-ble from the gabled side elevation where a replacement timberladder rises to meet at attic opening. It is believed by the currentowners that the attic space was historically used to accommo-date farm hands. The roof structure forms the standard A-frameof principal rafter trusses, composed of roughly hewn timber,and strengthened by half round collar beams. One collar beamhas scarring to suggest laths were once attached, which mayhave been reused from elsewhere, or may indeed have been usedto partition the roof space. There is no underlying basal layer of

scraw, and the thrust thatching technique appears to have beenapplied (note the jabs of knotted straw sticking out from thethatch).

Example Two:This roof structure belongs to a modest three-bay two-roomedhouse, which was given a ceiling during the 1960s, when thepresent owner acquired the property. The ceiling rises with the pitch of the roof before leveling off. The A-frame roof struc-ture is composed of tree branches, the heavier forming the raftertrusses. The irregularity of the members indicates that the rooferwas skilled in the use of local materials, and could accommodatethe imperfections of the raw material without compromising onthe strength of the roof. Within the roof space it was also possi-ble to examine the chimneystack. The visible side of the chim-neystack suggests it is a simple log timber framed flue shaft,lined with clay strengthened by wattle.

Example Three:The V-shaped exposed truss roof structure of this house, coversa byre which is located at one end of the now derelict house.The byre in this instance is a single-celled extension to one end

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Fig.14: Note the rope used to tie the thatch to the planked purlins. Notealso the absence of a scraw. (Site no. 17).

Fig. 15: The byre extension of this clay walled house has a sawn timberroof structure with the thatch placed directly onto purlins, to which it isattached with hemp rope. (Site no. 17)

of the house, leaving intact the original hip roof of the house.The rear wall and side wall are composed of clay, while the frontelevation wall appears to be formed of mass concrete. The truss-es are composed of sawn timber, and employ the use at leastseven rows of purlins on each of the three sides. The purlins aremore roughly formed than the trusses, to which they areattached on the outside. This is not a typical historical featuresuggesting early 20th century origins. The trusses of each A-frame rise directly from the clay walls just beneath the topwhich is flaunched with a rounded finish. The trusses rise tomeet a sawn ridge board and are coupled at the hip ends forstrength and to form the rounded profile we associate withthatched roofs. There is no scraw of sod or any bedding materi-al. The thatch is fixed to the roof structure by means of rope andscollops.

Example Four:This roof structure is not dissimilar to the preceding roof struc-ture in that it forms an extension to the main house, the origi-nal hip end of which survives, and remains to be seen within the

byre, where the roof structure is entirely exposed. The A-frameroof structure is formed of sawn lengths of tree branch, therough barked edges of which are evident on the purlins whichare placed outside the A-frame. Again there is no scraw and thethatch has been fixed to the purlins by means of rope and scol-lops. The rope may be an example of the hemp rope that wasoften used, though a bituminous coating, which the hemp ropewas historically dipped in, was not noted.

Thatch Roof Covering The local variations of thatching techniques and subtle signa-ture features of local thatchers, may at first glance go unnoticed.Idiosyncrasies in the thatching processes exist, which are oftenfavoured by both thatcher and home owner alike. Such differ-ences were often only known locally. These locally emphasisedprocesses were a legacy handed down orally by a master thatch-er to his apprentice, often from father to son. Further unique-ness can be attributed to those households who thatched theirown houses, though this no longer takes place in Kildare. Therange of thatching techniques employed in County Kildaretoday may not reflect the historical variations that existed dur-ing the preceding centuries. This is caused by a number of fac-tors. The limited number of surviving thatched structures natu-rally lessens the variations inherent within a large number ofstructures. The small number of thatchers in operation in thecounty has given way to greater homogeneity in techniques. Inmany cases a thatcher may need to work within a number ofcounties to have a steady stream of work, and the approach toeach job may be one of expediency and efficiency, resulting inthe loss of local variations. Therefore we have moved from alocal traditional emphasis to a regional one, and this may intime become a provincial emphasis. The much diminishedchoice of thatching materials also limits the way in which thethatcher responds to a roof. Where once straw made from oats,wheat, rye, barley and bent was used, now only oaten straw isused. The historically unprecedented use of water reed forthatching in Kildare, is creeping in, albeit only in rare examples.

The most reliable source of information on the thatching tech-niques of County Kildare was compiled by the Irish FolkloreCommission under the direction of Caoimhín Ó Danachair.10

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Fig. 16: The roof of this structure of this byre extension incorporates theoriginal hip roof. Note the A-frame structure formed of roughly sawntimber, collar beams and purlins. Again there is no scraw and thethatched is bound to the roof by rope.

Ó Danachair coordinated the systematic gathering of informa-tion on many aspects of Irish rural life and folklore from the1940s. Of concern to this study are the subjects of roofing andbuilding material. The information was gathered by sendingquestionnaires to individuals within each county. Responsestended to range from detailed analysis to simple yes/no answers,all of which helps to build up an important historically accuratepicture of thatching techniques from various points within thecounty, before the advent of heavily mechanised harvestingtechniques and the use of chemical fertilizers, both of whichhave had a dramatic impact on thatching.

The questionnaire on roofing looked at a number of veryimportant factors many of which help to define the regionalvarieties of thatching and roofing techniques within each coun-ty. The first question related to the form of the roof; whether itwas hipped or gabled. The second question asked if a scrawexisted under the thatch. The third question referred to thenature of the thatching material. The fourth question asked thelifespan of a full re-thatching. The fifth question asked whetherthe thatching was done by a professional thatcher or another.The final question allowed for short descriptions of the thatch-ing techniques, some of which were more informative than oth-ers.

The descriptions of the thatching techniques include the follow-ing:

• Remove fatigued outer layers until a substrate of ‘fairly drystraw’ is found.

• A handful of straw has some of itself twisted round thetop. That is thrust in close to another by making a holewith a thatching stick. When all is finished scollaps [sic]ofsally hazel, snow-drop woods are put on over the thatch.

• Straw is arranged on the ground by a handler into bundles

‘the width of a ladder’ are given to the thatcher who placestwo at at time starting at the eaves and working upwards.Each bundle is doused with water and treated with a rake.

• Hazel scallops [sic] are used to fix the thatch to the sub-strate material.

• In addition stitches it with twine. (there used to be specialthatching twine as thick as a pencil which had beensteeped in a bituminous solution, which is no longer avail-able and synthetic bailing twine is the working substitute.

• Bobbins of straw are worked along the ridge to achieve afinished appearance and prevents ingress.

• Some kind of plant is full grown on some houses to pre-vent the house from going on fire. I saw this in CountyLimerick too.

• Spraying thatch with bluestone gives a lovely colour andpreserves thats and kills ...seeds and kills insects and keepsaway birds.11

• Thatching a house already thatched you use a thatchingfork like a two grained fork but smaller.

• Use straw as long as possible in strokes [sic] and they putthe fork in the middle of the straw and put it into the oldthatch.

• They put one end under the straw and leave the other endhang down. They always start at the bottom.

• Scollops are made from “sally” sticks and both ends ofthem are pointed and secured.

• ‘Scollops’ are only put at the top of the roof. • After thatching water is splashed on it to tighten the straw

and then it is raked down evenly with a thatching rake. • Bluestone [copper sulphate] dissolved in water is applied

after this with sprayer.• When all this is finished the thatcher cuts the eaves, to

make them even, with a sheers and they leave them abouta foot long.12

• When the dwelling house is not ceiled inside the thatch has

15

10. The School of Irish, Celtic Studies, Irish Folklore and Linguistics at UDC kindly provided access to the extensive records compiled by ÓDanachair, which informs much of this section.

11. IFC questionnaire completed by Seán ó Clúnain, O.S.Allenwood NS Robertstown, Naas.12. IFC questionnaire competed by Pádraig Ua h-Arachtáin (Patrick Harrington)Roberstown.

to be stitched, the thatcher uses a needle a foot long thread-ed with binder twine, when he puts on the bundle of strawhe fastens it with a loop of binder twine, a man insidedraws the needle in and catches the loop round a rafter andpasses the needle out again to the thatcher on the roof.

• When the house is ceiled one foot long hazel twigs pointedat both ends called scallops are fastened round the bundlesof straw to fasten them into the roof. The bundle of strawis driven in by a tool like a large awl.

• When a new roof of thatch has to be put on for the firsttime a thick rope called a collaic is drawn tightly along thetop of the house to which the bundles of straw are fastenedwhen the thatcher begins to cover the roof.

• The dressing of straw roofs with bluestone makes thethatch last 4 or 5 years longer.13

Observations on the thatching techniques and the question-naires issued by Ó Danachair were usually prepared by the localhead master, school teacher, or parish priest, who relayed andoften dictated information from local thatchers and home own-ers at first hand. The following are two differing variations inthe thatching tradition recorded in County Kildare.

‘There are two methods in use in these districts [Athy]. Onemethod is a handful of straw is taken and a sort of knot isformed on the straw at one end and this is trust [sic] in with animplement which the thatcher calls a (truster) [sic] a short ironspike with a short wooden handle. Scallops (hazel sticks) areused only at the top of the roof. There are three rows of hazelsticks or scallops placed on each side of the top of the roof. Thehandful of straw which the thatcher trusts in is called a (fangle)of straw. The second method is each handful of straw is laid onin rows about a yard wide and confined to the roof with scal-lops. The thatcher that uses the former method is considered thebest thatcher.’Always before the house is thatched a considerable portion of

the thatch or straw is removed from the roof. If the old thatchis very much damaged, the new layer of straw or thatch has tobe sown on with a large needle and “thatching cord”. Thethatcher remains on the outside of the roof and a helper puts theneedle through inside and then pushes the needle out to thethatcher again and continues this until the whole roof is cov-ered.14

The Use of ScrawThe use of scraw has been identified as an important part of thethatching tradition in Ireland. The scraw was generally formedof a herbage such as sods of grass or heather, that acts as anunderlay spread over all the roof structure. The thatched layersare built up on the scraw, and anchored to it using scollops.

This survey has not identified any scraw basal layers to roofstructures that have been inspected. It would appear that the useof scraw in tradition thatching had all but died out by the timeof the Irish Folklore Commission questionnaires were carriedout. One person questioned replied that “there was up some[scraw] 50 or 60 years ago. Since then this practice has been dis-continued and has been superseded by using this thatching nee-dle and cord.” Another respondent maintained that,“Nowadays, when no scraws are used the thatch is sewn ontothe timber wood of the roof- the thatcher being on the roofwhile his assistant is engaged inside to take charge of the stitch-ing cord, which he puts round the longitudinal lathing.”15

Why the use of scraw terminated in County Kildare is notunderstood. It was most likely discontinued when the majorityof roof structures were replaced during the first decade of the20th century.

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13. IFC questionnaire completed by Mrs. Helen Mitchell, Kilkcaskin, Carbury, Co. Kildare.14. IFC questionnaire completed by Sara Rowan (N.T.), Kilberry NS, Athy, Co. Kildare.15. IFC questionnaire completed by Mrs. Michael Flaherty/Mr. Michael Hynes (Stonemason), Castledermot, (71 yrs) who furnished this

information.

The EaveThe eaves is generally angled at 45° with a 300 mm - 500 mmoverhang, which terminates with a drip course formed by low-ering the outermost layer of thatch. The eaves is a crucial detailof the roof structure which is designed to throw rainwater of theroof well away from the wall surface, keeping it dry. If the eavesis not deep enough and conversely too heavy, it will be at risk ofdecay. A failing eaves will sag with the weight of rain, and beginto dacay according to Jack Donohue, a well known local thatch-er. Once the eaves begins to decay the clay wall constructedhouses are at imminent risk.

The Ridge The ridge of a thatched roof is generally where subtle designflourishes exist. It must be stressed however that the Irishthatching tradition is not very decorative. Prominent featuressuch as the twisted or roped ridge with bobbins (raised knots)and rows of scollops appear decorative, but the design, whileaesthetically pleasing, is crucial to maintaining a water tightridge. Chimneystacks normally rise from the ridge formingplain stout rendered shafts with cement flaunching surroundingits base where it meets the thatch roof.

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Fig. 17: (Above): The sloping eaves of a thatched roof.

Fig. 18: The twisted or plaited finish to the ridge of a house in Kildare.Note the bobbin to the end and the rows of scolloping.

The use of metal as a roof covering actually began during thesecond half of the nineteenth century. Corrugated iron wasdeveloped in Britain in 1829, when it was realised that ironrolled into a series of regular corrugations was stronger, weightfor weight, than flat iron sheets. This offered considerable sav-ings in the quantity of metal required, and in the covering ofroofs. The catalyst for the use of corrugated metal sheeting as acladding material to steel or timber framed structures was theneed for accommodation constructed in an expedient manner.This is nowhere more obvious than the Australia and NewZealand, where a rush of immigrants from Europe requiredshelter. In Ireland foundries such as Kennan’s of FishambleStreet had designed sanitoria and timber-framed corrugatedmetal-faced housing for export and for use in Ireland.Corrugated metal exists in a number of quite important build-ings throughout Ireland. When it became a viable option forhome owners in Ireland has not been discovered by this writer.

Galvanized corrugated iron was also developed by the middle ofthe nineteenth century and rapidly became the most widelyused roofing material. Its advantages are that it is easily andswiftly applied (even by unskilled labor). It is light, compact,inexpensive, fireproof and immune from insect attack. Its usewas encouraged when enough iron to cover the roof of a cottagecould be transported easily when flat packed, making a load thatwas light enough to be dragged over poor roads to almost anybuilding site.

The terms “corrugated iron” and “galvanized iron” became mis-nomers after about 1915 when steel began to replace iron in themanufacturing process. The change went unnoticed by the gen-eral public, which continued to refer to “corrugated iron” and“galvanized iron.” The use of the word tin is no less accurate,but has found its way into the parlance of vernacular architec-ture.

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TIN ROOF STRUCTURES

Fig. 19: This tin-roofed structure in Kildoonwas put over the existing thatched roof since1988.

The use of tin roofing material on domestic vernacular build-ings, superseding the use of thatch was an economic and practi-cal choice. The reasons for its introduction are obvious.Galvanized metal roofing requires far less maintenance andcyclical renewal (8-10 years for a well thatched roof ) is not aburden. The initial outlay of erecting a light timber roof struc-ture over the existing thatch roof to carry the tin covering waswidely recognized as an economically logical decision.

This survey has identified 58 tin-roofed houses in CountyKildare. This figure is broadly equal to the number of extantthatched buildings. The large number of tin-roofed houses addsignificantly to the heritage of thatched properties in the coun-ty, notwithstanding the reality that what survives today is but aglimpse of what was heretofore a regular sight within the rurallandscape. The importance of tin-roof structures (most likely allformerly thatched) cannot be under-estimated.

In most cases the tin covering has been applied to an outer tim-ber-frame, which has been built over the existing thatched roofstructure. While examination of tin roofed structures was out-side the remit of this study, some of the thatched houses includ-ed in the Higginbotham survey have since been covered by tinand it was possible to get information from owners. The gener-al practice of erecting a tin-covered roof structure over an exist-ing thatched roof structure formed in effect a double roof. Theunderlying thatched roof structures of most of these houses areamongst the oldest surviving examples of thatch material in thecounty. In each case the thatch material has not been renewedsince the erection of the tin roof structure. In some cases thisthatch may be over fifty years old, forming important materialevidence of the thatching techniques and materials no longeravailable or practiced.

Corrugated steel is also becoming an increasings importantmaterial which contributes to the broad range of structures andbuilding technologies recognised as part of the architectural her-itage of the country. As such, the maintenance and survival oftin roofs alone should be encouraged, as much as those whichremain thatched.

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Fig. 20: The tin has been removed from the roof of Silliot Lodge (demol-ished in 1987), which was located on the road from Kildare toKildangan. The simple A-frame roof structure was placed over the exist-ing thatched roof. In many cases the chimneystacks have to be built up totake the additional ridge height. (image courtesy of Irish FolkloreDepartment, UCD, A024.09.00049)

The two prevailing historical construction methods identifiedin county Kildare are broadly in line with other counties wherethe availability of stone is rare, traditionally making it a veryexpensive building material. By contrast clay was much morefavourable. It was extremely cheap, compared with the former,and readily available.

Building Characteristics of Clay Built HousesThe following are the principal characteristics which aid theidentification of a clay-walled house. These are by no meansdefinitive but prove helpful on site. Asking the owners if theyare aware of the construction of the house is also important forclarification. The characteristics are:

• Lime rendered clay walls built on basal layer of stone.• Lime rendered clay walls built directly on ground.• Battered or irregular corners.• Engaged buttressing, all occurring with clay built houses.

The following is a description of the process by which claywalled houses are constructed and the geographical distributionof them in Ireland.

“...Tempered clay was also an excellent walling material providedthat the clay was properly prepared and applied. A basal layer ofstones underneath the clay was desirable as a foundation for thebuilding, and for protecting the base of the clay walls from damp-ness. It was also necessary for the outer surface of the clay walls tobe suitably rendered to protect them from the weather. A generousoverhang to the thatched eaves, to prevent water from the roof drip-ping onto the walls underneath, was also a necessity. Clay houses arefound mainly in the drier east and southeast of Ireland. The vastmajority of clay buildings are one-storey in height, though two-storey, or multi-storey buildings of clay, or partly constructed of clay,are also found. The walls can be up to a metre thick, and in the

south and east of Ireland they were normally constructed to wall-head height on which a hipped roof with four sloping sides wasplaced.” 16

Clay wall constructed houses are praised for their thermal prop-erties. They are warm in winter and cool in summer. Manyowners preferred the internal atmospheric conditions of theclay-walled house rather than the late 20th century extensions,which were criticized for being too hot in summer and too coldin winter!

Though when properly constructed clay houses are every bit aspermanent as stone built houses, there are exceptionally vulner-able, if a property is not properly maintained. Clay walls, like

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CONSTRUCTION TYPES

Fig. 21: This clay-walled side elevation has been incorporated within abyre extension. The base of the wall has been built up with a protectivelayer of rubble stones to prevent damage to the clay wall from animals. Thestone facing has partly fallen away taking with it the lime render coating,exposing the clay of the wall.(Site no. 16)

16. Lysaght, Patrick, Vernacular Rural Dwellings in Ireland, Dept of Irish Folklore, UCD, p.15.

every other type of construction, require water tight conditionsto function properly. This is why there is an outer coating ofrender applied, and also why the eaves is so deep throwing wateroff away from the walls. When thatch fatigues or is not replacedthe threat of decay sets in. Once water ingress becomes con-stant, the clay walled house will virtually disintegrate in a shortperiod of time.

Building Characteristics of Stone Built HousesThe construction method of the stone built house requiredmore precision which is reflected in the more regularised anglesand wall surface, which when rendered, particularly with thicklayers of modern cement render, makes it virtually impossible todetect the stone construction underneath. Like clay walledhouses the stone used generally comes from a local source.However the lack of availability of stone and the time and skillrequired to construct such a house would have made it veryexpensive, when compared with clay walled construction. Thegeographical distribution of surviving stone-built thatchedhouses in Kildare appears to be rather random, not located nearany notable sources of stone. The use of stone does not alwayssuggest high profile buildings as it is used for both thatchedmansion and modest cottage. Stone is also used in conjunctionwith clay, which are described as part-clay constructed. A num-ber of these also survive.

The survival rate of stone-built houses compared with clay-con-structed houses is striking. It is not clear if the substantial loss ofclay walled houses is exclusively a result of the rapid deteriora-tion process in neglected properties or if the typology was lessregarded than stone-built houses.

The characteristics of stone built houses are: rendered rubble-stone construction; regular squared elevations;the absence of abatter.

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Fig.23: (Right) The coursed rubblestone of this house in Walterstownrelies on regular angles and plumb lines for the stability of the construc-tion. Only traces of the lime render coating of this house remain. Notealso the stone sills, which are roughly hewn, and scarcely have enough ofa projection to throw water off. It is therefore no surprise to find thatmost of the sills recorded are remade in cast cement. (Site no. 65)

Fig.22: (Above) This clay walled house in Turnakill, is now a ruin andwill be, in a short space of time, virtually untraceable. Note the countrystyle dresser which still stands inside though the thatched roof and claywalls around it have disintegrated. (Site no. 78).

The interiors of the thatched houses in County Kildare are char-acterized by two main types, the direct entry house and thelobby entry house. The direct entry house is obvious from theexterior when the main hearth chimneystack and main entranceare at opposite ends of the kitchen. By contrast the lobby entryis generally aligned, or placed just to the side of the main hearthchimneystack. Floor plans in almost all cases are one-roomdeep, with the basic plan comprising of an open-hearth kitchen,the hearth chimneybreast separating the second room which isaccessed through an opening to one side of the jamb wall. Eachis lit by one window, and in many cases there is a second doorproviding rear access from the kitchen. From this basic templatevarious permutations arise, generally in the form of one or tworooms located at either or both ends of the house separated bythe original external wall or simple timber framed partitions.Some accretions are added to form L-plans, but these tend to bemuch later additions, perhaps c. 1900.

The hearth chimneybreast is essentially a transverse load-bear-ing wall which supports the roof structure internally.

The hearth is one of the main principal structural and formalelements within the thatched house. It is both the social anddomestic centre of the house, where stories are shared, food iscooked and the inhabitants are warmed. The hearth wall trav-erses the house and generally runs to approximately a metre indepth.

The hearth canopy oversails the open fire and forms a largechamber through which smoke is funnelled out of the house.Most of the canopies viewed in this survey were vertical, notsloped as is the case with the example in Fig. 25. The canopy isusually a clay wattle structure supported by a timber beam, oneend of which is embedded in the rear wall of the house while theother end is embedded in the jamb wall that forms the partitionfor the lobby.

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INTERIORS

Fig. 24: A typical floor plan of a three-bay lobby entry house with a cen-tral kitchen defined by the hearth. A bedroom is located at either end.Note the double hinged door which folds back to allow unobstructedaccess to the bedroom on the right. (Image courtesy of the Irish FolkoreDepartment, UCD A015.09.00868)

Fig. 25: This diagram represents two sections of a house in Allenwood Co.Kildare, one of the houses showing the elevation of the hearth, and theother a section through the hearth. (Image courtesy of the Irish FolkoreDepartment, UCD A021.09.00023)

The hearth wall rises to include one of the principal rafter truss-es of the A-frame roof structure, which forms a reinforcingframe for the wall, which is also intended as a secondary supportfor the roof structure. (see Fig. 26). The chimney flue forms atimber post box structure which is framed with wattle that isthen given a coating of render. The timber constructed canopyand flue is a vernacular tradition practiced for generations. It hasbeen suggested that because of the size of the flue void, and thecirculation of cool air within the flue, the temperature reducesinside quite dramatically, preventing the risk of fire from occur-ring. Hearth walls are sometimes twinned by a secondary fire-place on the opposing wall to heat the bedroom. In many casesthis simply forms an angled tunnel through the clay wall untilthe main hearth flue is reached.

Generally speaking the hearths which have been inspectedremain largely intact. Some, however, have been blocked up toform normal sized openings to accommodate a range, or theyhave been blocked up altogether. Where they do survive manyretain the wrought-iron crane and associated hardware.Generally, the hardware is not operational and has been retainedfor nostalgic and decorative reasons.

The lobby entry The lobby entry is also a seminal feature of the vernacular tra-dition and many have been found to survive intact. The lobbyis partitioned from the kitchen by the jamb wall of the hearthwhich is punctured by a spy window. The jamb wall preventsdrafts blowing against the hearth which would cause smoke toenter the kitchen. The spy window allowed the inhabitant to seewho was entering the house while at the same time providingmuch needed daylight to the hearth area, where much of thecooking took place.

The half-doorThe necessity for keeping the front door open may well have ledto the development of the half-door. It is generally a plank ortonged and grooved timber door leaf. Sometimes the main dooris halved and in other cases a separate half door leaf is hinged tothe door jamb on the outside, which could remain closed whilethe full length door stayed open. The full-length door leafalways open inwards. The plan in Fig. 28 shows a door leafwhich is double hinged allowing for the door to fold back onitself, thus preventing the obstruction of the passage to the endroom of the house behind the hearth chimney wall. None how-ever were noted during this survey.

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Fig. 27 A traditional hearth with a 19th century range built into the openhearth and incorporating a wrought-iron crane.

Fig. 26: An internalpartition wall, in thiscase, not a hearth wall,but nonetheless illus-trating the incorpora-tion of the A-frame ofthe roof structure in thewall.)

Many of the thatched houses surveyed were sited within smallfarmyards. Others not in farm use often have a single outbuild-ing, or a small range of sheds. Many of the farm buildings notedwere composed of stone, while the farm house was composed ofclay. This may seem strange, and could be explained by a num-ber of factors. Vernacular houses in the county for the most partwere composed of clay, which was preferred for its cheapness,availability, and thermal qualities. It is often observed that afarm house is secondary in scale and ‘quality’ than the surround-ing farm buildings. They were the infrastructure that sustainedthe economic stability of the family.

The perception today of the two prevailing building materialsfor vernacular structures, stone and clay, seem to favour stone,not so much for its durability, but for its status. This perceptionmay not have existed during earlier centuries.

The arrangement of farm buildings can be both symmetricallyand asymmetrically disposed such as that represented in Fig. 24.The diagram shows an example of a farm plan, surveyed by theIrish Folklore Department, in UCD in 1935. Unlike the reasonand desire for aesthetic effect which informed the symmetricallayout, this apparently haphazard plan is more an organicresponse to the reality of farming. The buildings are clustered sothat a gate hung from the corner of one outbuilding, closedagainst another, resulting in a flexible system of farm animalmanagement. Note how buildings are huddled near the house,perhaps suggesting the limited holding of the farmer, but alsosuggesting a desire for convenience. It is also notable that thehen shed is closest to the house, the tending of which tradition-ally has been the female role. Together the farm buildings exceedthe dwelling house in scale, again suggesting the extent of theholding of livestock required to sustain a family in rural Ireland.

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Fig. 28: A half door which is separate from this handsome raised and field-ed panel led timber front door which leads into a lobby entry house. (Siteno. 67)

THE FARMYARD

The Perception of Thatched Houses TodayToday the picaresque quality of thatch has appealing aestheticvalue for the passerby. In Kildare thatched houses tend to bemeticulously maintained and many owners take great pride inthe appearance of their property and the contribution thatthatched houses make to the heritage and tourism market of thecounty. As the number of thatched houses dwindles their aes-thetic and cultural value appears to be increasing.

This paradox can be understood by assessing what motivateshow we interpret and understand thatched buildings today. Thegrowing rarity and irreplaceable nature of vernacular architec-ture in general, like all aspects of heritage which is under threat,is realised by more and more people. Thatched houses and farmbuildings were a pragmatic response to local traditions, the sur-rounding environment, the availability of materials, prevailingweather conditions and economic factors. Aesthetics were not aprimary consideration, yet the general response to them is oneof aesthetic appreciation. The growth in recent decades of house

building in the countryside which is distinctly suburban incharacter also amplifies the uniqueness of thatched houses.What were once unselfconscious dwellings along roadsides anddown boreens, are now unique objects in the rural landscape tobe admired and appreciated by all.

With the introduction of bungalow pattern books during the1960s and 70s, thatched houses were all but abandoned. New‘modern’ bungalows were built to replace them, which wereoften constructed in front of the older house. The old thatchedhouse was then converted to form an outbuilding or allowed todisintegrate entirely. An attitude soon developed which viewedthatched houses as symbols of rural poverty and destitution.This now appears to be reversing. The 2005 Thatch Survey hasidentified four cases where thatched houses were chosen, all byyoung families, in which to live.

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Fig. 29: Farmyard plan surveyed in 1935 in Carbury. (A030.09.00001)

Fig. 30: The relationship between the dairy and the single-storey range ofoutbuildings proves important in the movement of animals into and outof the farm yard. The wrought-iron gate with characteristic arched bracebar and decorative c-scrolls are typical of these farm gates.(Site no. 75)

Site 2 Collinstown

Detached five-bay sin-gle-storey lobby-entrythatched house, builtc.1800, with a modernextension to the rear.Hipped oaten strawthatched roof having atwisted ridge withexposed scolloping toridge and bobbins toeither end; centrallyplaced rendered chim-neystack with a terra-cotta pot. Pebble dashrendered clay wallswith a smooth ren-dered plinth course ofapproximately 60cm inthickness. Square-head-ed window openings,uPVC windows, andconcrete sills. Square-headed door openingset in a projectingwindbreaker, with auPVC door openingonto a concrete step.This well-maintainedhouse is located on aprominent crossroadsmaking it a well knownfeature of the land-scape.

Site 4 Drehid

Detached three-baylobby-entry thatchedhouse, built c.1800.Hipped oaten strawthatched roof having atwisted ridge withexposed scollops anddecorative bobbins toeither end. Centrallyplaced whitewashedrendered chimneystack.Whitewash over rough-cast render clay walls ofapproximately 60cm inthickness, and asmooth render plinthcourse to all elevations.Square-headed windowopenings, smooth ren-der surrounds, roughstone sills, retainingsome single-pane tim-ber sash windows.Square-headed dooropening set in a wind-breaker; tongued-and-grooved timber doorleaf. Probably one ofthe most intactthatched houses in thecounty, retaining amultitude of externalfeatures not usuallyfound on a singlestructure. This houseand its most attractivesetting is a great exam-ple of the thatched ver-nacular tradition.

Site 6 Moortown

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey lobby-entrythatched house (for-merly O’Neill’s publichouse), built c.1850,much enlarged by asingle-bay slated accre-tion to west and a sin-gle-bay two-storeythatched section toeast, built c.2000 and asingle-storey thatchedreturn to rear. Pitchedoaten straw thatchedroof to the four-baysection, hipped to thetwo-storey section,both with twistedridges and exposedscollops. Renderedchimneystack. Roughcast and pebble-dashedrendered walls. Square-headed window open-ings with concrete sills;one forming bracketedtimber sill. Single panetimber sash windows tothe original sectionwith two-over-two tim-ber sash windows tothe new sections hav-ing horns. Square-headed door openingwith tongued andgrooved timber doorand heritage style doorfurniture, opening ontoconcrete step.

Site 9 Ballynagappagh

Detached five-bay sin-gle-storey direct-entrythatched house, builtc.1800, with a wind-breaker entrance porchand a lean-to return.Hipped oaten strawthatched roof with atwisted and scollopedridge. Two renderedchimneystacks withclay pots. Natural slateto windbreaker. Roughcast rendered clay wallswith a rendered plinthcourse. Single-panetimber sash windows.Flat-panelled timbershutters visible to inte-rior. Modern timberpanelled door. Tonguedand grooved timberhalf-door to rear. Setperpendicular to theroad with a large frontsite, and large farmyardto rear. Good exampleof the thatched houseextended over time in alinear fashion to form along house. This work-ing farmhouse with itsextensive farmyardretains all its externalfeatures and is of con-siderable aestheticvalue.

Site 12 Loughanure Commons

Detached three-baysingle-storey lobby-entry thatched house,built c.1800. Oatenstraw thatched roof,hipped to the west andgabled to the east.Twisted scollopedridge. A central ren-dered chimneystackand a further stack ris-ing from the east gablewith a clay pot.Battered whitewashedrendered clay walls.Square-headed windowopenings with concretesills and two-over-twotimber sash windows.One window openingto the rear. Square-headed door openingwith a tongued-and-grooved timber door.Located perpendicularto a narrow boreen.Appears intact withflat-panelled timbershutters and a flagstonefloor.

Site 14 Curryhills

Detached three-baysingle-storey formerlythatched house, builtc.1800. Front entranceporch added c. 1950.Re-roofed c. 1990.Pitched corrugated ironroof with a small ren-dered chimneystackand cast-iron rainwatergoods. Rendered claywalls approximately1m in thickness.Square-headed windowopenings with bipartitefixed pane timber win-dows. A six-pane tim-ber casement windowto the rear is recessedto the interior wall.Tongued and groovedtimber door to the rear.This modest scale cot-tage has had itsthatched roof replacedor covered over yet stillretains some originalwindows. Now vacant,the house will soon fallinto a ruinous state.

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GAZETTEER

Site 15 Curryhills

Original house demol-ished c.1995 and sur-rounding lands usedfor a housing develop-ment. Pastiche replace-ment thatched housebuilt replacing originalforming a detachedfive-bay single-storeythatched house builtc.1995. Hipped oatenthatched roof, withconspicuously steepand angular pitch; ren-dered chimneystack.Painted cement ren-dered walls. Single-pane timber sash win-dows. Tongued andgrooved timber half-door.

Site 16 Allenwood

Detached five-bay sin-gle-storey lobby-entrythatched house, builtc.1800, byre added tothe east, c.1900, and afront entrance porch,c.1950. Windowsenlarged, c. 1980.Hipped oaten strawthatched roof with atwisted and scollopedridge, bobbins to eitherend. Roof constructedof rough-sawn A-frametimbers with strawrope binding. Rough-cast render over claywalls. Clay and rubble-stone to east gable wall.Square-headed windowopenings with renderedreveals and timber case-ment windows to frontc.1950; two-over-twotimber sash windows torear. Replacement tim-ber panelled door andsidelights. Lobby entrywith spy hole and anopen hearth with ironhearth hardware.Tongued-and-groovedtimber panelled ceiling.Concrete floorsthroughout. Set per-pendicular to the roadat a crossroads with awalled front site con-taining outbuildings.

Site 17 Allenwood North

Detached six-bay sin-gle-storey thatchedhouse, built c.1800.Hipped oaten thatchedroof over a sawn tim-ber roof structure withexposed scollops to theridge and the eaves tiedwith straw.Whitewashed claywalls. Square-headedwindow openings withtwo-over-two timbersash windows and con-crete sills. An earliersix-over-three timbersash window to therear. Set parallel to theroad at a lower leveland obscured bygrowth.

Site 18 Robertstown

Attached three-bay sin-gle-storey thatchedhouse, built c. 1800.Entrance porch addedc. 1950. Flat-roofextension to rear, builtc. 1980. Attached to astone two-storey build-ing along the GrandCanal. Pitched oatenstraw thatch roof withtwisted scolloped ridge.Concrete coping togables. Central ren-dered chimneystackwith clay pot. Paintedrendered clay walls.Square-headed windowopenings with concretesills and two-over-twotimber sash windowswith exposed sashboxes. Two-pane tim-ber casement windowto porch. Simple directentry floor plan com-prising two roomsdivided by large for-merly open hearthchimneybreast.Doubled in size withextension to rear, builtc. 1990. Paved frontsite. Located parallel toGrand Canal tow path.

Site 20 Landestown

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey thatchedhouse, built c.1850,facing southwest with aflat-roofed projectingentrance porch and atwo-bay tin-roofed sec-tion attached to thesouth. Single-storeyextension to rear, c.1940. Oaten strawthatched roof, hippedto the west and gabledto the east with a cen-tral brick chim-neystack. Pebbledashrender over rubblestone walls. Square-headed window open-ings with painted con-crete sills and uPVCwindows. Position ofchimneystack in linewith front door open-ing suggests this mayhave been a lobbyentry floor plan.Simple floor plan withone room to either sideof the hearth, pro-longed to one side byan additional single-bay room.

Site 22 Millicent South

Detached five-bay sin-gle-storey house, c.1800, with two bays tonorth, c. 1850. Fellinto dereliction, c.1990. Since rescued.Rebuilt section to westelevation. Oatenthatched roof and newroof structure re-cov-ered in 2005. Square-headed window open-ings with concrete sillsto west. Rescued fromdereliction and current-ly being restored byowner, re-roofed inoaten straw thatch.Exposed rubble lime-stone walls, with tracesof lime render surviv-ing. Alterations to inte-rior floor plan includ-ing rebuilding of struc-turally unsound chim-neystack. Admirableproject breathing newlife into this property.New dormer two-storey extension towest side currentlyunder construction.

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Site 23 Barretstown

The original house hasbeen demolished andrebuilt, c. 2004-2005,on a vastly larger scale.Oaten thatch roof withscolloped ridge.Rendered walls. Smallsquare-headed windowopenings, with timbersash windows. Planktimber doors. Largesite, with a multiple ofoutbuildings, all ofwhich are modern.

Site 24 Stickens

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey house, builtc. 1800, with porchadded c. 1980, single-storey extension, addedc. 1990. Oaten thatchhipped-gabled roofwith scollop ridge.Single rendered chim-neystack. Pitched pantiled roof to extension,intersecting rear spanof thatched roof.Rendered rubblestonewalls. Small square-headed window open-ings, enlarged c. 1990,with timber casementwindows. Lobby entryfloor plan with single-bay room to either sideof the hearth chimney-breast, prolonged byadditional room to sideof former kitchen.Hardwood timberdoor. Once facing ontothe “old road”, replacedc. 1950, when the“new road” was laidand redirected awayfrom the house.

Site 25 Cloncumber (Bally Tiegue Castle)

Detached five-bay sin-gle-storey formerlobby-entry thatchedhouse, built c. 1850,with a single-bay sin-gle-storey brick/stonereturn. Oaten strawthatched roof, gabledto east, hipped to west;twisted ridge and bob-bin to ends; renderedchimneystack to centreand gable. A-frameroof structure ofrough-sawn rafters andcollars formed fromnatural tree sections,purlins fixed to theouter side. Rough-castrendered clay and stonewalls, c.67cm deep.Timber casement win-dows, c.1980.Doorcase comprisingtimber pilasters andconsole brackets withlintel architrave andelliptical overlight; flat-panelled timber doorleaf. Opens onto alimestone step and acobbled front area.Parallel to the road andthe Grand Canal towpath, at a bend in theroad.

Site 27 Thomastown

Detached three-baysingle-storey thatchedhouse, built c.1750,facing northeast, withtwo-bay single-storeyextension perpendicu-lar to rear, c.1980. Tothe northwest is a fur-ther detached two-baysingle-storey clay-walled former barn.Hipped oaten strawthatched roof with acentral rendered chim-neystack. Paintedruled-and-lined ren-dered battered claywalls. Square-headedwindow openings withhardwood casementwindows. Square-head-ed central door open-ing with hardwoodtimber panelled door.Lobby entry houseforming simple floorplan of a single-bayroom either side of amassive formerly open-hearth chimneybreast.Small thatched out-building, quite orna-mental in style, with anoaten thatched roof.Former barn to thenorthwest with apitched corrugated ironroof.

Site 28 Thomastown

Detached six-bay sin-gle-storey thatchedhouse, built c.1800,facing east with a sin-gle-storey return to rearand lean-to outbuild-ing to west; north bayforms 19th centuryaccretion. Oaten strawthatched roof, hippedto the south, gabled tothe north. Roughcastrendered chimneystackto centre and to northgable. Corrugated-ironroof return. Roughcastrender over rubblestone walls. Square-headed window open-ings with timber case-ment windows, c.1990.Timber sash window torear. Modern hard-wood timber panelleddoor. Gravelled frontyard enclosed by white-washed rubblestonewalls, with gate piersand wrought-iron gatesto Morristown Roadjunction. Cast-ironV.R. wall-mountedpost box.

Site 29 Naas West

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey thatch house,built c. 1700, (formerlyFarrington’s Stud) withan Edwardian two-baytwo-storey accretion torear. Porch, c. 1950.Oaten thatch roof withblind scollop ridge.Chimneystacks rebuiltc. 1960. Ruled andlined rendered clayconstructed walls.Rendered north andsouth gables. South-facing gable with pro-jecting chimneybreast,with weather slate cop-ing. One-over-one tim-ber sash windows.Square-headed dooropening, with flat pan-elled timber door leaf.Located on substantialsite. Rubble limestoneand brick outbuildingswith loft having graniteand limestone quoins;granite date plaque toone reads: 1890. Siteenhanced by low slungoutbuilding to north-east. Fine structureadding significantly toheritage of town andcounty.

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Site 34 Baltracey

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey thatchedhouse, built c.1850,with an attached sin-gle-bay lofted sectionbuilt after1987; pro-longed by tin-roofstructure to enclose afront yard. Pitchedoaten straw thatchedroof with a twistedridge with scollops.Replacement cementrendered chimneystackto centre and one tosouth gable. Pebbledash rendered walls,60cm deep. Timbercasement windows hav-ing simple wrought-iron bars set into thesills. Replacementtongued-and-groovedtimber door beneathoverlight with metalgrille. Site enclosed byrubblestone walls ter-minated to the northby a high cement blockwall. Stream with stonebridge to south.

Site 35 Ummeras More

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey thatchedhouse, built c.1800.Well executed and inte-grated four-bay single-storey extension to rear,built c.1995. Hippedoaten straw thatchedroof with a twistedridge and hazel scollopsto the ridge and eavesand bobbin to eitherend. Rendered chim-neystack. Lime washedrough-cast render claywalls with a plinthcourse to the front ele-vation and two but-tresses. Irregularly sizedwindow openings withsplayed reveals andtimber casement win-dows and no sills.Door set in projectingwindbreaker, withtongued-and-grooveddoor. Beautifully set inthe landscape facingwest parallel to theGrand Canal below thelevel of the Canalbank.

Site 36 Quinsborough

Detached five-bay sin-gle-storey lobby-entrythatched house withwindbreaker entrancereturn, c.1830.Attached outbuildingto west and a furtherrange of outbuildingsset perpendicular to thefront. Gabled oatenstraw roof with twistedand scolloped ridge.Two rendered chim-neystacks with claypots. Corrugated-ironroof to the return.Rough-cast render overrubble limestone walls.Two-over-two timbersash windows.Windbreaker incorpo-rated under the deepeaves of the thatch roofcovering; tongued-and-grooved timber door.Interior appears intactwith flat-panelled tim-ber shutters. Goodrubble limestone out-buildings forming fore-court enclosed fromroad by a renderedwall, with wrought-iron gates. Fine housewith a grandness set-ting it apart from thenorm.

Site 37 Mullaghroe Lower

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey direct entrythatched house, builtc.1800. Entrance porchand two-bay extensionto the north, c.1950.Oaten straw thatchedroof hipped to thenorth and gabled tothe south. Twistedridge with bobbins anda central renderedchimneystack with afurther rendered chim-neystack rising fromthe south gable.Whitewashed clay wallswith a setback tosouthern bay.Pebbledash render torear. Two-over-two sashwindows. Timber case-ment windows to rear.A single two-over-twoiron swivel window toentrance porch. A for-mer forge which retainsmany of its associatedfeatures. Positioned at arural crossroads, thisformer forge is histori-cally and sociallyimportant forming partof the social and eco-nomic structure of thelocality.

Site 38 Mountrice

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey direct-entrythatched house, builtc.1850, prolonged byvarious accretions andgiven a front entranceporch and gable-front-ed shop unit addedc.1940 to the side ele-vation. Oaten strawthatched roof, hippedto the north and gable-ended to the south.Having a twisted ridgewith hazel scollops andbobbins to either end.Two rendered chim-neystacks with cap-stones and terracottapots. In the process ofbeing re-thatched byJack O’Donoghue.Painted rough-cast ren-dered walls. Located atimportant crossroadswith wall-mountedpost box and grotto.Much enhanced by the1940s shopfront.Important example ofcrossroads house with apublic use.

Site 39 Mountrice

Seven-bay single-storeythatched lobby entryhouse, built c.1800,facing southwest.Single-bay thatchedoutbuilding to front.Three eastern bays andwesternmost bay 19thcentury accretions.Oaten straw thatchroof hipped to east andgabled to west withconcrete ridge. Twistedridge and hazel scol-lops. Two brick chim-neystacks, with dog-tooth stringcourse. Whitewashed roughcast rendered walls,500mm deep. Four-over-two and six-over-three timber sash win-dows. Tongued-and-grooved timber door tofront porch. Openhearth with spy win-dow to jamb wall sur-vives intact. Early shut-ter boxes survivethroughout with flatpanelled shutters. Two-bay outbuilding, withthe ridge of the hippedoaten thatch roof per-pendicular to the houseis located on the frontsite.

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Site 40 Quinsborough

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey direct-entrythatched house, builtc.1780, with a wind-breaker entrance.Hipped oaten strawthatched roof withexposed scollops due tothe poor state of thethatch. Centrally locat-ed rendered chim-neystack. Whitewashedrough-cast renderedclay walls with rubblestone gables. Heavilybattered north gablewith buttress extend-ing. Square-headedwindow openings withconcrete sills anduPVC windows.Square-headed dooropening set within thewindbreaker having aflat-panelled timberdoor. Set parallel to theroad enclosed bycement rendered wallsforming a small frontyard.

Site 41 Quinsborough

Detached three-baysingle-storey direct-entry thatched house,built c.1850, adjacentto the 24th CanalLock, with a modernextension to the rearc.1990. Gabled pitchedoaten straw thatchedroof over galvanisedmetal, with a twistedridge and interspersedbobbins. Centrallylocated brick chim-neystack. Whitewashedover rubblestone wallsapproximately 600mmdeep. Two-over-twotimber sash windows.Square-headed dooropening with a timberplank half-door c.1990.Open hearth visible tointerior with roughtimber lintel. Largeextension to rear.

Site 42 Toghereen

Detached five-bay sin-gle-storey direct-entrythatched house, builtc.1840, with a wind-breaker entrance.Hipped oaten strawthatched roof withplastic conduit scollopsand a pair of renderedchimneystacks. Thatchin poor condition.Painted rough-cast ren-der over rubblestonewalls of 65cm indepth. Single-pane tim-ber sash windows.Door opening set with-in windbreaker with acorrugated iron roof.Plank timber door andbottom leaf half-door.Site enclosed by rough-cast rendered wallswith vehicular gate andpedestrian gate.Rubblestone outbuild-ings to west form afront yard.

Site 43 Ballykelly

Detached six-bay sin-gle-storey direct-entrythatched house, builtc.1800, with a two-baylean-to slated returnand a range of out-buildings to the rear.Gabled oaten strawthatched roof withtwisted ridge. Threebrick chimneystacks.Rough-cast renderedstone and clay walls.Boarded-up windowopenings except onehaving a two-over-twosash window and awrought-iron grille.Square-headed dooropening of lateVictorian characterhaving a glazed flat-panelled timber doorwith notched detailingand chrome Art Decodoor furniture, flankedby glazed sidelights. Setperpendicular to theroad enclosed by aruled-and-lined ren-dered wall with square-plan piers andwrought-iron gates.Substantial stone out-buildings to the rearform a courtyard, all ofwhich were formerlyslated.

Site 47 Oldgrange

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey direct-entrythatched house, builtc.1850. Gabled oatenstraw thatched roofwith a twisted ridgeand hazel scollops toridge and eaves. Tworendered chim-neystacks, one to cen-tre and gable. Paintedpebbledash renderedrubble stone walls.Replacement timbercasement windows andconcrete sills. Square-headed door openingwith a replacementtimber panelled andglazed door. Set per-pendicular to the roadat a lower level with aconcrete wall enclosinga tarmacadamed frontside and rear site. Keptin excellent conditionwith much pride byowners. A modernfamily bungalow islocated to the rear.

Site 48 Coole

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey thatchedhouse, built c.1800,facing east, muchenlarged to obscureoriginal form by exten-sions to front and torear. Hipped oatenthatched roof erected2004, with a heat-treated log roof to therear extension. Twistedridge with hazel scol-lops to ridge and eaves.Pair of polychromebrick chimneystackswith clay pots. Cast-iron rainwater goods.Pebble dash renderedrubble stone walls.Four-pane timber case-ment windows, andmodern timber sashwindows. Fine site pro-viding a wonderful set-ting for the housewhich is in very goodrepair.

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Site 49 Silot

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey lobby-entrythatched house, builtc.1800. Set perpendi-cular to the road with afront and rear yard.Hipped and gabledoaten thatch roof,erected c.1991 by JackDonoghue, with atwisted ridge and a pairof brick chimneystacks.Pebble dash and roughcast rendered clay wallsapproximately 80 cmdeep. Two-over-twotimber sash windows,arranged in fashionsimilar to site 47 sug-gesting local buildingtradition. Plank timberdoor. Intact interiorretaining tongued andgrooved timber ceil-ings, plank timberdoors and open hearthwith spy window tolobby jamb wall.Added historical valueattributed to its origi-nal form and manyimportant external andinternal features.

Site 50 The Curragh

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey thatchedhouse, built c.1850,with a front entranceporch and a three-bayslated single-storeyreturn, perpendicularto the road facing west.Hipped thatched roofwith a sedge ridgedetail, a half dormer tothe south gable.Covered with chickenwire. Two pebble dashrendered chim-neystacks. Natural slateroof to return formerlycovered in corrugated-iron. Painted peb-bledash rendered wallsof approximately 3.5feet in depth. uPVCwindows. Modern tim-ber panelled door toentrance porch and aplank timber half doorto the side entrance.The last remainingthatched house in theCurragh, this structureis of considerable valueto the architecturalvariety of the region.

Site 53Cornalway, Kilcullen

Detached three-bay tofront five-bay to side,single-storey thatched“gentleman’s resi-dence”, c.1800, facingwest with a front porchand a range of stoneoutbuildings to thenorth arranged arounda farm yard. Sitedwithin landscapedgrounds with avenueentered through deco-rative cast-iron gates;enclosed by rubblestone walls; withmature beech trees.Hipped oaten thatchroof to the front pitchand south side.Corrugated sheeting tothe inner pitches.Natural slate to thenorth wing. Thatched2003 with a plattedridge and four largerendered chim-neystacks; octagonalclay pots. Formallyproportioned windowopenings with originalsashes. Replacementtimber door with rec-tangular overlight. Tothe rear of the southwing is a plank timberdoor opening into asmall courtyard.

Site 55 Gurteenuna

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey lobby-entrythatched house, builtc.1800, with a modernextension to rear,c.1990. Hipped oatenthatch roof with twist-ed and scolloped ridge.Brick chimneystack.Whitewashed lime ren-dered walls approxi-mately 65cm in thick-ness. uPVC windowsand replacement dou-ble-leaf timber doorc.1990. Set perpendi-cular to the roadaccessed by a shortdrive with a large land-scaped site to the side.While the renovationof this house has led tothe loss of its windowsand doors it remains agood example of athatched house occu-pied by a young family,with a relatively dis-creet extension to therear.

Site 56 Clonegath

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey thatchedhouse, built c.1780,facing west, muchenlarged by two two-storey extensionsincluding a return andan L-plan two-storeyblock to rear, builtc.1975. Hipped reedthatched roof to all sec-tions with decorativeboxed raised ridges andwith hazel scollops,with half dormers torear. Rendered claywalls to original house.Multi-pane timbercasement windows andconcrete sills; one six-over-three timber sashwindow. Once an aver-age-sized thatcheddwelling extensivelyextended on an L-planover two storeys.Although there appearto be few original fea-tures left the highly vis-ible location gives thissite added significance.

Site 58 Cloncarlin

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey thatchedhouse, built c.1900,enlarged by accretionsone forming anattached single-baythatched-roofed sectionwith lower ridge to thewest and a slated sec-tion to the east.Pitched oaten strawthatched roof in a verypoor state of repair,with a pair of cementblock rendered chim-neystacks. Pebbledashrendered clay walls.Square-headed windowopenings, enlarged hor-izontally, with timbercasement windows.Square-headed dooropening with a hard-wood timber panelleddoor. This house is in apoor state of repair andwhile there are feworiginal features evi-dent the house embod-ies the traditionalapproach to enlarging asmall three-baythatched house.

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Site 62 Kileen West,Riverstown Crossroads

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey thatchedclay-built house, builtc.1800, with a derelictoutbuilding to the rear.Hipped oaten thatchroof with twisted ridgeand rows of scollops toridge and eaves.Rebuilt redbrick chim-neystack with terracot-ta pot. Whitewash overclay walls of approxi-mately 75cm thick.Square-headed windowopenings to front ele-vation only, with six-over-three timber sashwindows c.1850, hav-ing splayed reveals andcement sills. Square-headed door openingwith replacement tim-ber plank half doorc.1995, opening onto alimestone flag. Set per-pendicular and backfrom the road withaccess via a lane sharedwith a neighbouringthatched house. One ofthe most intact housesin the county enhancedby its proximity toNo.63, separated by araised meadow, form-ing a picturesque ruralsetting.

Site 63 Kileen West

Detached three-baysingle-storey thatchedhouse, built c.1800, onL-plan with single-baygabled addition,c.1900, prolonged by atin-roof outbuilding.Hipped oaten thatchroof, gabled to thefront projection withrough timber frameand a roped scollopedridge and scollopedeaves. Central renderedchimneystack; anotherbrick chimneystack togable having an angledstringcourse. Paintedrough-cast render overclay and stone walls ofc.70cm in depth. Two-over-two timber sashwindows, set inexposed sash boxes;cement sills; casementwindow to accretion.Cylinder glass through-out. Tongued-and-grooved timber door toshallow wind breaker.Facing south perpendi-cular to lane with frontsite enclosed by ren-dered wall; wrought-iron gates. Enhancedby its proximity toNo.62, separated by araised meadow, form-ing a picturesque ruralsetting.

Site 64 Harristown Upper

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey formerthatched house, builtc.1850, now with acorrugated iron roofand obscured bygrowth. Hipped corru-gated iron roof. Thesite is overgrown withvegetation and notaccessible.

Site 65 Walterstown

Detached six-bay sin-gle-storey L-planlobby-entry thatchedhouse, built c.1820,facing east with lateraccretions includingentrance porch, andoutbuilding to south,possibly built as a byre.Outbuilding to frontsite, enclosed by lowwall from road.Hipped oaten thatchroof with a plaitedridge and two rows ofscollops. Two brickchimneystacks with ter-racotta pots. Thatchedcorrugated iron porchroof. Rough cast ren-dered clay walls c.80cm deep. Rubble stoneand brick walls to rearwith some concrete.Two-over-two timbersash windows andexposed sash boxes.One three-over-threesash and timber case-ment windows to rear.Square-headed dooropening with replace-ment timber panelleddoor. Tongued andgrooved panelling tolobby and kitchen ceil-ings. Original openhearth with range andoak trunk lintel.

Site 66 Nurney

Detached five-bay sin-gle-storey lobby-entrythatched house, builtc.1800. Set back fromroad down a lane witha cobbled yard to theeast enclosed by stoneand concrete outbuild-ings. Oaten thatchhipped roof with plait-ed scalloped ridge. Acentral rebuilt brickchimneystack with afurther brick chim-neystack rising fromeither end with asquare profile clay pot.Rough-cast renderedclay walls 90 cm deep.Stone wheel guard tocorner. Door openingwith hardwood pan-elled door. Two-over-two timber windows.Windows to rearappear much earlier indate with two-over-twoand six-over-one sash-es, all c. 1800. Intactinterior with threeroomed plan extendedby room to east possi-bly a converted byre.Open hearth withwrought-iron furniture,oven, spy window andopen chimney flu.

Site 67

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey lobby-entrythatched house, built c.1945, with extensionto rear, c. 1990. Oatenthatch to front pitchonly with a plaitedridge. Corrugated sheetiron to rear pitch (withthatch intact beneath).Two red brick chim-neystacks to gables.Pan tiled roof to exten-sion. Pebble dash ren-dered mass concretewalls. Square-headedwindow openings withthree-over-six timbersashes and metal case-ment to central bay.Original tongued andgrooved timber halfdoor with iron hingesand a modern hard-wood glazed timberdoor. A traditional lay-out of small lobby andthree rooms, retainingits tongued andgrooved timber ceiling,open hearth with spywindow and ironhearth furniture, planktimber doors and pan-elling. Home to son ofthe thatcher PatMolloy.

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Site 68 Balls Hill

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey direct-entryformer thatched house,built c.1800, with awindbreaker entrance.Hipped corrugatediron roof, with a cen-tral rendered chim-neystack and a brickstack rising from thewest side elevation.Painted rough-cast ren-dered clay walls withsmooth render plinthcourse. Square-headedwindow openings withtimber casement win-dows and concrete sills.Square-headed timberpanelled door set with-in a windbreaker. Siteenclosed from road byrubblestone wall incor-porating outbuildingwith corrugated tinroof structure. Steelgates hang from castconcrete piers withstop-chamfered edges.Although the roof hasbeen covered with cor-rugated iron, the rest ofthe house seems tohave been retained.

Site 71 Calverstown

Detached five-bay sin-gle-storey formerlobby-entry thatchedhouse, built c.1850,enlarged to incorporatelater historic accretionsincluding porch andreturn. Extensively ren-ovated and modernisedc.2004. Reed thatchroof, gabled to the westside and to the return,hipped to the east side.Raised scolloped ridgeand eaves, erectedc.2004. Pair of rebuiltbrick chimneystacks, tocentre and to gable.Cement coping to thegable elevation. Paintedrough-cast renderedrubblestone walls witha buttress to the frontelevation. Square-head-ed window openingswith replacement one-over-one timber sashwindows and concretesills. Flat-roofedsquare-plan porch withreplacement timberglazed door. Furtherporch to rear withmodern tongued-and-grooved timber door.Set parallel to the roadenclosed by renderedwalls with tin roofedoutbuilding.

Site 74 Greatrath

Detached four-baytwo-storey gable-endedthatched house, builtbefore1710, prolongedby slate-roofed single-storey extension tosouth, c. 1900. Two-storey return to rear.Accessed by lane withsite enclosed bywrought-iron agricul-tural fencing. Farmyard to east with stoneoutbuildings. Roperidged pitched oatenthatch roof. Brickchimneystacks risefrom gables. Roofstructure replacedc.1900 and elevationlowered. Roughcastrendered clay walls, c.90 cm deep. Rubblestone walls to the rear.Intact interior ceilingpanelling, 19th centurydoors and panelledwindow linings. Largeopen hearth withremains of stone ovenbuilt into the rear wallof the house. The frontdoor opens into anentrance hall with ter-razzo flooring. Timberstaircase insertedc.1900, with half land-ing to the return.

Site 75 Kilrush, Athy

Detached three-baytwo-storey thatchedhouse, built c.1730,facing north. Frontentrance porch, flat-roof section to rear andlean-to to east all formlater extensions. Setback from the roadaccessed by a long lanewith front lawnenclosed by wrought-iron railing and a farmyard to the east withstone outbuildings.Hipped oaten thatchedroof with a plaitedridge. One centralbrick chimneystackwith clay pots.Corrugated iron roofcovering to lean-to andreturn. Rendered claywalls, rough cast torear. Square-headedwindow openings withuPVC windows andpainted granite sillsthroughout.Replacement hardwoodglazed door and side-lights. Intact interiorwith tongued andgrooved timber pan-elling and terracottatiled floors. Openhearth arch nowaccommodating a solidfuel range.

Site 77 Fontstown

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey formerdirect-entry thatchedhouse, built c.1800,with a front entranceporch and porch torear. Hipped oatenstraw thatched roofwith a twisted ridgeand bobbins. Bambooscollops to ridge andeaves. Rendered chim-neystack. Whitewashedrough-cast renderedrubblestone walls,c.80cm deep. Largebuttress to rear eleva-tion. One-over-onetimber sash windowsand concrete sills. Earlyfour-pane timber case-ment window to rear.Modern timber glazedpanelled door to thefront entrance porch,added c.1970, withtimber casement win-dows to the sides.Facing south on a cor-ner site at theFontstown crossroads.Enclosed by a low ren-dered wall with coping.Front gravelled yardarea enclosed to westby a rubblestone out-building.

Site 79 Ballynabarna

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey lobby-entrythatched house, builtc.1800, with wind-breaker and single-storey addition to rear,c.1950. Hipped oatenstraw thatched roof,sheet metal to rear,with twisted scollopedridge and scollopedeaves. Brick chim-neystack with clay pots.Whitewashed rough-cast render rubblelimestone walls.Windows enlargedwith concrete sills andtimber casement win-dows. Square-headeddoor opening to wind-breaker entrance hav-ing a replacementhardwood glazed pan-elled door. Set parallelto the road with a largelandscaped front siteenclosed by renderedwalls. Lofted two-baystone outbuilding tothe south with gaugedbrick carriage arches.Wrought-iron gatesgive access to the grav-elled drive with a fur-ther decorative ‘horse-gate’ to the front gar-den. A modern farm-yard is located to thenorth.

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GAZETTEER

Site 80 Ballynagussan

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey direct-entrythatched house, builtc.1800, facing southwith later entranceporch. Oaten strawthatched roof hippedto east, gabled to west.Plastic conduit scollopsto ridge and wire scol-lops to eaves. Renderedchimneystack with aterracotta pot.Rendered clay walls ofc.74cm deep. Taperedbuttress to rear. Square-headed window open-ings with one-over-onesashes. Timber case-ment windows to rear.Interior thoroughlyrenovated c.1984 leav-ing very few internaloriginal features. Thethree room layoutremains. Situated alongthe road with gravelledfront site and wrought-iron gate giving accessto site. Separate struc-ture positioned to westset closer to the road,which formerly houseda local shop run by theformer owners of thehouse, the Conlon sis-ters.

Site 81 Kilcon

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey gableddirect-entry thatchedhouse, built c.1800. Oaten straw thatchedroof, hipped to theeast, gabled to the westwith hazel scollopsridge and to eaves. Acentral brick chim-neystack with cementflashing to the stackand cement coping tothe gable. Lime washedrubble stone walls tothe front elevation,cement rendered to thegable and rough-castrender to the rear.Square-headed windowopenings to front ele-vation only, with one-over-one timber sashwindows c.1940 andcement sills. Square-headed door openingto the eastern most baywith an original planktimber door. House isset perpendicular to theroad facing north witha front gravelled yardenclosed by stone out-buildings and a ren-dered wall to the road.

Site 82 Castlereban North

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey direct-entrythatched house, builtc.1850, with lean-toextension to rear, builtc.1995. Hipped oatenstraw thatched roofwith twisted and scol-loped ridge. Scollopedhip and eaves.Decorative bobbinsinterspersed alongridge.Rendered walls tofront, with rough-castrendered rubble stonewalls to other eleva-tions. Square-headedwindow openings,enlarged c. 1980, withtimber casement win-dows and concrete sills.Door opening tosouthernmost bay withreplacement timberplank door. Tonguedand grooved half doorin front of full doorleaf. Set with southgable facing bend inroad enclosed by metalgates and a pair ofmodern stone andbrick piers givingaccess to a front yard.Tin roof outbuildingsattached to the northgable.

Site 84 Castlereban North

Detached five-bay sin-gle-storey gable-endedthatched house, builtc.1900, with a gabledentrance porch.Pitched oaten thatchroof with a twistedridge and interspersedstraw bobbins. Hazelscollops to the ridgeand eaves. Centrallyplaced modern ren-dered chimneystackand cement coping toboth gables. Paintedpebbledash renderbrick walls.Square-headed windowopenings with uPVCwindows and replace-ment composite granitesills. Replacementtongued and groovedtimber half door toporch. Overlight togable with vertical glaz-ing bars. Set parallel tothe road with narrowfront site enclosed by arendered brick andstone wall withwrought-iron gates. Tothe rear is a redbricktwo-storey outbuilding.

Site 85 Ballyroe

Detached three-baysingle-storey thatchedhouse, built c.1820,facing north withthree-bay accretion toeast c.1910. Current L-plan form created by atwo-bay section addedto the east c.1987.Oaten thatched roof,hipped to north,gabled to east. Twistedridge with hazel scol-lops to ridge and eaves.Two rendered chim-neystacks. Ownerrecalls natural timberA-framed roof withbark attached. Rough-cast rendered redbrickwalls to original sec-tion, cement renderedelsewhere. Buttress toeast elevation of mainhouse. Replacementhardwood casementwindows. Replacementhalf-door. Limestonestep under open porch,supported by timberposts. Hearth rebuiltand layout reconfig-ured, c.1999. Originalsection set perpendicu-lar to road. The brickwalled construction isexplained by locationof a brick field acrossthe road adjacent tocanal.

Site 86 Tullygorey

Detached three-baysingle-storey thatchedhouse, built c.1800,with a front entranceporch c.1950, and alean-to section to thewest side elevation.Hipped thatched roofnow covered with poly-thene. Rendered chim-neystack. Coursed rub-ble stone walls withlime mortar andsquared limestonequoins to the corners.Square-headed windowopenings with timbercasement windows.Replacement timberpanelled door c.1980.Built parallel to theroad facing south withno rear boundary evi-dent. This is a verysmall modest housewhich is in a derelictcondition. The signifi-cance of this structurelies in its use of lime-stone construction inan area of mostly claywalled houses.

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GAZETTEER

Site 89 Rosebran

Detached five-bay sin-gle-storey formerthatched house, builtc.1850, prolonged toone site by byre and alean-to porch extensionto opposite end.Coated corrugatedmetal covered gabledroof structure withcement coping to thegables and a single ren-dered chimneystack.Painted pebbledashrendered stone wallswith a rendered plinthcourse. Square-headedwindow openingsenlarged c. 1980, withtimber casement win-dows and concrete sills.Square-headed dooropening to the lean-towith a timber panelledand glazed timberdoor. Hard surfacefront site. This formerthatched house hasbeen re-covered inmodern sheet iron.Apart from this alter-ation the house appearsto be intact.

Site 92Derryoughter West

Detached three-baysingle-storey semidirect-entry thatchedhouse, built c.1850,with a three-bay single-storey flat-roofedextension to the rear,built c.1975. Hippedoaten straw thatchedroof with a twistedridge and interspersedstraw bobbins. Bambooscollops to the ridgeand eaves and a rebuiltred brick chimneystackwith terracotta pots.Whitewashed rough-cast render over mudwalls of approximately45cm in thickness.Battered gables.Square-headed windowopenings with timbercasement windowsc.1975 and concretesills. Square-headeddoor opening with tim-ber panelled door hav-ing an oval glazedpanel and a plank tim-ber half door (lowerhalf only). An intactinterior with an openhearth with solid fuelrange inserted.Tongued and groovedceiling panelling toboth rooms.

Site 93 Grangechiggin

Detached four-bay sin-gle-storey lobby-entrythatched house, builtc.1800, facing southwith a two-bay single-storey extension to eastand a five-bay dormersingle-storey extensionperpendicular to west,c.2003. Complexhipped oaten strawthatched roof with atwisted ridge and bob-bins. Bamboo scollopsto the ridge and wirescollops to the eaves.The owner rememberssome oak beams in theroof structure. A pairof chimneystacks to theoriginal section andseveral dormers andhalf-dormers to the latesection. Whitewashrendered clay walls.Square-headed windowopenings with replace-ment timber casementwindows and stonesills. Square-headeddoor openings withreplacement tongued-and-grooved timberdoors to front and rear.Apart from an intactlobby the interior hasbeen completely recon-figured and mod-ernised in a vernacularstyle.

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GAZETTEER

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