Events at the Donegal Thatching School

Straw Thatching Day

Ivor and James Kilpatrick tutored 10 trainees. A coat of straw was applied to the reed undercoat, using sways and scollops.

Working on the roof

The trainees work on the straw coating, which was fixed over the reed that had been laid the day before. Sways and scollops were used for the fixings, being one of the traditional methods. Working off scaffolding allows the trainees to get used to working safely at heights.

A finished section

Straw has been laid in rows working from the eaves. As complete novices, the trainees had hands-on experience of the basic methods, and got used to handling the tools and materials used in thatching.

3 courses

This view shows the 3 courses of straw the trainees laid, and the fixing methods they used

Conal Shovlin of the Donegal Thatching School viewing the straw work

Progress

Conal Shovlin from the Donegal Thatching School viewing the progress of the straw thatching

Ivor Kilpatrick, tutor, demonstrated methods of preparing ridge bundles

Ridge methods

Ivor Kilpatrick demonstrates methods of preparing straw for ridging. Video is available here

Inside view

A view of the underside of the practise roof

Reed Thatching Day

Mike Davies tutored 10 trainees for a hands-on experience fixing water reed to a new timber roof.

Eaves course

Trainees lined up bundles of water reed in preparation for fixing an eaves course.

Progress

Continuing on the eaves.

Participants

Norman Doherty from the Donegal Thatching School discussing with Collette Beattie and Joe Gallagher from Donegal County Council.
Trainees work from scaffolding erected at the practise roofs to accustom them to working off platforms. Many thatchers now use scaffolding to get a safe and secure working area.

Video of Mike Davies, tutor, demonstrating how to straighten the eaves is shown on the Videos page, along with other clips from the session.

The course was part funded by the National Built Heritage Service and Donegal Education and Training Board's Community Education Support Programme.

Eaves in progress on another section of the practise roofs

Trainees fixing bundles of reed to form an eaves

Rope/Net Thatching Course

Brian Lafferty tutored two trainees on the Donegal style practise roof over the weekend of the 16th and 17th November. They laid a flax roof, one side roped down with flaxen rope made from the cleanings, and the other fixed down with wire netting. Photos by Conor Farren.

Progress laying the Flax

The first ladder's width goes on at the right-hand gable. Using flax, the material is carefully laid in handfuls, each handful being worked into it's neighbour to ensure a waterproof join. The ladder's width is started at the eaves with a butts down row, with subsequent material being worked into the roof with the heads down, producing a smooth weatherproof coating.

Right hand gable

Here, Conor Farren has laid a right hand gable of flax.

Further progress

Good progress made across the roof. You can see the width of the stroke in progress, allowing the thatcher to lay the material in to the side of the ladder

Chimney

Detail of fixing the flax around the chimney to produce a watertight join.

Flax, roped down

Sean McDevitt laid flax on this side of the practise roof, and roped it down with flaxen rope made in the workshop.

Cross ropes

Ropes are fixed down at suitable spacings and tied off to pegs set in the gable ends.

Vertical ropes

Vertical ropes are laid after the cross ropes have been tied off, to complete the traditional roping system.

Ridge

Detail of the flaxen ropes tied off to the wire at the ridge, to demonstrate two methods of finishing.

Completed

Conor has finished his side of the roof and fixed it down with wire netting, leaving a long lasting weatherproof thatching.

Showing a different angle of Conor's thatching

Flax thatched Donegal style

The wire netting is laid from gable to gable and wired down to pegs set in the wall.

Wire netting

Netting in progress

The Ridge

A view of the ridge showing how the flax has been neatly laid from the two sides

Thatching in progress

From left to right: Brian Lafferty, tutor, throws a bundle of flax up to Conor Farren, with Sean McDevitt looking over the ridge, and Conal Shovlin of the Donegal Thatching School holds another bundle.

Two days of Thatch Tasters

Some photos taken during the event over the weekend of the 12th and 13th of October, thanks to Joe Gallagher

Health & Safety

Anna Meehan, ATU outlines some the building regulations and health and safety issues associated with thatching

Brian Lafferty demonstrating rope thatching with flax at Donegal Thatch School

Rope Thatching demonstration

Brian Lafferty demonstrating rope thatching with flax at Donegal Thatching School

Ivor Kilpatrick demonstrating scollop thatching at the Donegal Thatch School

Scollop Thatching demonstration

Ivor Kilpatrick demonstrating scollop thatching at the Donegal Thatching School

Thatching in progress

Thatcher Brian Lafferty demonstrates the practice of rope thatching with flax

Discussions

Thatchers Ivor Kilpartick and Brian Lafferty discuss thatching issues at the Donegal Thatching School

Rope Thatching

Thatcher Hugh Gallagher demonstrates the practice of rope thatching with rye straw

Rope Thatch discussion

Thatcher Brian Lafferty discusses the practice of rope thatching

Speakers and Organisers

Guest speakers and organisers at Donegal Thatching School