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• ULSTER FOLK & TRANSPORT MUSEUM

CULTRA, HOLYWOOD, CO.DOWN BT18 OEU, NORTHERN IRELAND, TEL +44 (0)28 9042 8428

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Magheragallan Byre Dwelling

MAGHERAGALLAN BYRE DWELLING

Original location: Megheragallan townland, Burtonport, County Donegal

This combined dwelling and byre, built of local granite, was moved from the north-western coast of Ireland, from County Donegal. The practice of housing people and animals together links the west of Ireland with the rest of the Atlantic fringe of Europe - the same arrangement is found in Scandinavia, Scotland, Brittany and Galicia.

The house was one of a cluster of houses ( clachan ). The attached farm consisted of 2 acres (0.8 hectares) of arable land and commonage, the right to graze cattle and sheep on common land, of 60 acres (24.3 hectares).  Life on this farm was harsh, the land was generally of poor quality and the location was one that offered few comforts. The thatch is tied down to stone pegs built into the walls to preserve it from the full force of Atlantic weather.

The 2 acres of arable land enabled the family to grow potatoes and some winter feed for the cattle. Sheep, with their thick wool coats could survive the rigours of winter weather but cattle need shelter. By Spring several tons of manure would be removed from the byre and used as fertiliser. To us this represents extremely grim living conditions but it probably wasn't as unhealthy as we might imagine. After a while the smell would not be noticed and throughout the winter the animals provided a certain amount of heat. It would be wrong to imagine that these people cared any less than we do about hygiene - standards were simply different.

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