Thatched Houses

For many people, thatched cottages are the traditional Irish style of housing. In the past, many Irish people in rural areas lived in thatched dwellings. In the Fingal area, there are a number of thatched cottages that are still inhabited and in good repair.

Thatched cottages are quaint and beautiful. They fit in very well with their surrounding rural landscape. In the past, Irish families were typically larger than they are today. However, thatched cottages often had only two or three rooms, one of which was the kitchen.

An important feature of the interior of a cottage was the hearth or the fireplace. The fireplace was usually open and all cooking would take place on it. The chimney projected through and above the thatch in order to prevent fires.

Different types of material were used for the thatch, including the straw of wheat, oats or barley. Sometimes, reeds were used. The type of thatch chosen depended on the materials available in the local area. Thatching was and remains a skilled profession. These days there are very few professional thatchers working in Ireland.

Click here to read a description of the history of thatched buildings, with a particular focus on Co. Meath.