The Republic of Ireland has made a concerted new push to save its historic thatched cottages. Today, only about 2,000 of these delightful little structures remain in communities across the country. Last week, the Irish government published 2022 statistics revealing a drop in the number of traditional homes. This shocking trend has begun to enflame communities and heritage advocates.
In October, one of the country’s first permanent thatching schools welcomed its first students. It’s hoping to train a new generation of thatchers, too, with the skills required to maintain and restore these unique buildings. John Masters, a technical adviser at the school, emphasized the hands-on approach to training, stating that the curriculum includes practice roofs designed with diverse features.
The school has already generated tremendous excitement. Just 20 or so of them have registered for its free government-sponsored weekend courses. One of the students is Fidelma Toland, a recent immigrant whose personal connection informs her work.
“I have a big interest in it, because my grandfather and my two uncles used to keep the thatch on the house maintained and I saw that as a wee girl,” – Fidelma Toland
Toland shared her excitement regarding the new program and what it means to the ongoing work of preserving this cultural heritage.
“It’s all dying away sadly, but this school here is a great opportunity for anybody that wants to learn it and keep the tradition going,” – Fidelma Toland
Conal Shovlin, one of the course founders, highlighted the importance of the school as a national training center for thatching. He noted the various styles of thatching represented in Ireland, including rope thatching in Donegal and reed thatching in Wexford and Cork.
“It’s very essential because it’s a national training centre for thatched roofs,” – Conal Shovlin
Shovlin further emphasized the importance of training young people to keep the craft alive.
“We cater for all the different styles… it is important now that we train some young people very quickly that can pass it on,” – Conal Shovlin
The pace of loss of these irreplaceable thatched historic cottages is still shocking. John Lafferty, a master thatcher whose craft has been handed down from father to son for centuries, lamented the loss of masters to this growing trend.
“Unfortunately the thatched cottages are disappearing at a very fast rate. I’m hoping this course will reverse that trend,” – John Lafferty
Lafferty commented on the excitement of students coming into the program and the extreme competitiveness for seats.
“I think that anyone who comes in here comes in with enthusiasm and they want to learn. You need to have a hunger to learn. The course is very popular and we just can’t take everyone that is applying for it,” – John Lafferty
Donegal County Council knows of more than 300 thatched buildings still surviving within its borders. This new find just exemplifies how important these structures are to local heritage. Evidence of this commitment can be seen in the wave of interest around traditional crafts. That much is evident from the skyrocketing enrollment in the school’s programs.
Mary Rose Kern, a local advocate for traditional Irish culture, highlighted the nostalgic appeal of life in a thatched cottage.
“There’s something very evocative about sitting in a thatched cottage with a big turf fire, eating traditional flat potato bread, wheaten bread and scones and eggs and they are all homemade,” – Mary Rose Kern
“There’s something really special about that,” – Mary Rose Kern
Innovations such as the thatching academy are spreading. Such moves create a cautious optimism for turning around the decline of Ireland’s beloved thatched cottages. This is bringing community supporters, government officials and passionate advocates together. Their combined advocacy can help save this important Irish heritage asset for generations to come.
