William Ledwidge, Athlumney

St Mary's Church of Ireland church Navan.

This is part of a row of thatched houses on the Circular Road behind St Mary's Church of Ireland church in Navan. Thatched houses were common in towns as well as in the countryside.

St Mary's Church of Ireland church Navan.

This is part of a row of thatched houses on the Circular Road behind St Mary's Church of Ireland church in Navan. Thatched houses were common in towns as well as in the countryside.

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Round O Public House, Navan, Co. Meath

The Round O Public House in Navan is a landmark pub in the town. It is situated at the top of Flower Hill between the Slane and Kingscourt roads.William Ledwidge recalled thatching it many years ago.

private ownership

Round O Public House, Navan, Co. Meath
private ownership

Round O Public House, Navan, Co. Meath

private ownership

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William Ledwidge, Athlumney, Navan, was a thatcher craftsman who spent thirty years in the business. He told me most houses had hipped roofs and very few had straight gables. Very few houses had back doors except in the town of Navan where most houses were provided with them. Navan had a considerable number of thatched houses.

Not many houses had thatched roofs with valleys. Gilsenans of the Round "O", a public house in Navan, was an exception. He thatched a new valley in it once using aluminium sheeting underlay. Before that, corrugated galvanised iron sheeting was used. Oaten straw was used mostly. Treatment with copper sulphate prolonged the life of the thatch considerably. He never thatched with reeds. Straw riggings were mostly used for cappings but timber lasted longer. Bullwire was always used instead of scollops. While he preferred oaten straw he had often used wheaten but seldom barley. He never used flax although his father had used it on part of his own house. It was very satisfactory and lasted around thirty years. He never heard tell of a byre house in County Meath.

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