Turning back the clock on thatching at Laois pub costs

People from all over Ireland and foreign shores gathered in Coolrain to experience the dying art of thatching during the recent Heritage Week.

Lar Hogan, owner of Sheeran’s Pub, Coolrain, invited locals and visitors to come see master thatchers John and Paul Breherton of Breherton Family Thatchers explain and demonstrate the wonderful craft using oaten straw grown on the farm of Trevor Holden in Athy.

The straw was stripped using a stripper head harvester and then trashed and bound into round bales. The thatcher’s then pulled the straw into 117,000 small bundles to reroof the landmark pub.

“It is a community pub for the community and it was great to see everyone help out,” said Lar.

Sheeran’s Pub Coolrain is a listed and protected building and so was awarded a grant from Laois Heritage. The project cost €32,900 of which was a €6,000 conservation grant scheme and €5,000 from Laois Heritage with the rest from personal money.