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Thatch
is the use of vegetable matter to cover a roof and was the most common roof covering until well into the nineteenth century. As with every traditional material, what was first used was whatever there was to hand. Recent excavations of historic thatched roofs have revealed materials as diverse as short life bent marram grass and potato halms to long life materials like heather and flax.

Today the concept of the thatched roof is one of straw with scolloped straw being the traditional thatching material throughout the the Mournes. Good quality straw has a relatively long life and is easily worked and maintained but today the use of straw has largely been replaced by reed, much of which is imported putting our traditional thatching methods at risk.

Stone
Stone cutting is a very ancient skill and Ireland is an island of stone yet sadly very little of that native stone is now available for building. After the Reformation skills declined until being revived in the 18th century when demand boomed as the building of Churches, Country houses, fortifications and engineering works increased across the land.

The stone cutting industry is again experiencing increased demand and is meeting it with the technological revolution such as electronically programmed machines taking over much of the slog work of stone preparation. The hand skills take over at the last stage to give those touches and refinements that no machine will ever achieve. Mourne has a long history of stonemasons, a stunning example being the Mourne Wall (pictured above) around the Mourne catchment built between 1904 and 1922, which stands up to 8 feet high and is 22 miles long.

Iron
As forest cover was cleared timber came to be in short supply and iron became a critically important building material. A number of skills developed around the use of iron, the blacksmith, the famer, and nail maker. Today it is difficult to appreciate that there was a time that every nail, nut and bolt was individually forged. The most obvious legacy from the early days of forged iron is the rich heritage of wrought iron gates and railings, with even humble farm gates having beautifully crafted detailing. By the beginning of the 19th century, cast iron had become an important building element. Iron masters of international reknown, such as Richard Turner of Dublin took centre stage.

By the 1860s steel was commercially available and the steel framed building made its first appearance. The 1920s brought welding that greatly simplified steel fabrication. Modern times have seen the improvement of weather protection for steel in the form of galvanizing and P.V.C coating.

Timber
Is a feature of the oldest structures built by man. Only in very recent times has steel and plastic begun to erode its unique importance. The crafting of timber for buildings reached its peak of perfection in the late mediaeval period. Sadly our turbulent history has seen the destruction of all but a very few examples of these timber framed buildings.

A subsequent decline in carpentry skills reflected the depletion of our natural forests. However, the 18th century saw an increase in the quantities of imported exotic timbers like mahogany, teak and memal (Baltic fir) with the result that joinery and cabinet making reached a new peak of skill that have not yet been surpassed.

18 September 2010
BEACHWATCH BIG WEEKEND 2010 - 18th and 19th September
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11 September 2010
European Heritage Open Days - Saturday 11 September and Sunday 12 September 2010
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1 September 2010
Mourne Public Art – Phase 2
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