Rope thatchers
needed in Donegal
05.03.24
HAVE you experience of
rope thatching or of growing materials for thatching? If
you do, Donegal County Council would like to hear from
you.
The Thatch Repair Grant
Scheme is open until Friday, March 8 and the
implementation of the scheme over the past five years
has highlighted the shortage of rope thatchers and the
availability of thatch materials in the county. |
 |
|
Rope thatching of a
building in Straboy, Glencolmcille. |
County Donegal is one of
the few places in Ireland where rope thatching is still
practised. “Rope thatching is the predominant thatching
method in the west and north of the county” explained
Joseph Gallagher, County Donegal Heritage Officer.
“Originally the thatch would have been held in place by
a network of straw ropes (or súgán) that extended from
eave to eave via the ridge of the roof and from gable to
gable. These ropes were then tied to stones (or bacán)
or metal pegs projecting at the top of the walls
underneath the eaves. Nowadays, the rope thatch is often
held in place with chicken wire and nylon ropes.”
“The skill of the rope thatcher is usually seen in his
or her attention to detail around the chimney, the
gable, the eaves or the ridge of the roof. Our concern
is that this indigenous method of Donegal rope thatching
is being replaced by scollop thatching, non-traditional
styles and even synthetic thatch particularly in the
west and north of the county. This iconic form of
thatching and the craftsmanship of the rope thatcher are
being erased from County Donegal’s cultural landscape.
It’s remarkable that this deficit in traditional
building skills hasn’t been addressed by training
agencies as it has the possibility to provide
apprenticeships in thatching, careers as thatchers and
badly-needed skills in historic building conservation to
support the construction industry.” |
 |
|
The stooks of rye straw
shown here in Drumbarnett near Manorcunningham are grown
to support the thatch industry in the county. |
Thatching materials used
in rope thatching include wheat, barley and rye straw in
the west of the county and flax in the north of the
county. “The availability and affordability of thatch
materials has become an issue in recent years” said
Collette Beattie, Donegal Conservation Officer. “The
Conservation Office and the Heritage Office of Donegal
County Council are intending to pilot a scheme this year
to grow sustainable materials for thatching. This
initiative will be supported by The Heritage Council and
the Creative Ireland programme under the implementation
of the County Donegal Heritage Plan. We would like to
hear from farmers, thatch material growers and
landowners who are interested in growing materials for
thatching to increase the supply of materials available.
Growing crops for thatching is labour intensive and
requires planning and careful supervision. This
investment is reflected in the price of thatching
materials. The continued success of our
Thatch Repair Grant Scheme
relies on the availability of rope thatchers and the
increased supply of thatch materials.”
If you are a rope thatcher interested in working in
Donegal or are willing to grow good-quality thatch
materials, please contact Collette Beattie, Conservation
Officer or Joseph Gallagher, Heritage Officer on 074 91
72576 or by email at
thatch@donegalcoco.ie . |
|
