Master thatcher, John Brereton, who has been thatching since the age of 14, has claimed that the industry now faces an existential threat due to the shortage and age demographic of professionals left in the thatch industry.
Thatched cottages in Ireland, once perceived as hibernating lairs for tuberculosis and symbols of an impoverished past, have now widely become a jewel in our national heritage crown.
“The tradition of thatching is very much at risk at the moment, the government should be doing more [to conserve it], it’s an art form after all,” said Brereton.
Thatch is one of the oldest craft forms in the country and serves as an important symbol of our vernacular heritage.
Brereton, who used to work alongside his father and brother, hails from a rich thatching lineage, but sadly will be the last of his line to carry on the tradition.
His son Paul had initially shown great promise and had hoped to follow in his father’s footsteps, but his aspirations were sadly curtailed after he developed a chronic form of atopic dermatitis which flared up from the smell of straw.
“When I was coming home from school, my father would get me up on roofs to show me how it was done,” Brereton said.
“At that time, people were starting to build bungalows and the likes so people used to laugh at me doing thatching, but my father always said that in time to come, it would be one of the best jobs out there, and he was right.”
Industry decline
Brereton has expressed his dismay over the rapid decline of the industry and the lack of interest from the younger generation in pursuing the trade.
He is vocal about the merits of the profession, lauding it to be a wonderful career rich in employment prospects for those that are keen to learn the skill;
“There’s a lot of demand for thatcher’s these days, but it’s very hard to get anyone to do it, because for one, they’ve no patience and you need a lot of patience for thatching,” Brereton maintained.
“Really to be a thatcher, it has to be in your blood. You don’t really have to have a qualification.
“There was a Fáis apprenticeship about 20 years ago down in Galway and some of the thatchers got certified, but most of them ended up not even doing it.
“I called down to the college to see how they were getting on and they had little doll houses built to show the lads how to thatch, and I said to the lad that was training them, ‘that’s no way to train lads, they should be out on the job if they’re to stand a chance’,” he added.
Brereton has emphasised the need to revive the tradition and is calling on the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Heritage Council to make provisions to preserve thatching in Ireland as the industry currently doesn’t enjoy any conservation status.
When asked about the crisis facing the industry, Head of Communications and Public Affairs for the Heritage Council, Pearse Ó Caoimh, said:
“Heritage Council staff liaise regularly with thatchers, seeking avenues to support them and providing upskilling and training opportunities, and we are currently at an advanced stage of a process which will see the establishment of an accredited training course for thatchers, the aim of which would be to upskill and to train apprentice thatchers.
“It is hoped that this will be finalised early in 2025.”
Thatch
Thatch can be made using from a number of different vegetation materials, however it’s most commonly made from wheat straw and reed, the latter of which tends to be sturdier and more durable but comes at a higher price as it needs to be imported from England.
Brereton prefers to work with straw as it’s “warmer and more flexible” and sources his supply from a farm in Athy.
A grant of up to €3,810 or two thirds of the approved cost, whichever is lesser, can be availed of from the government towards the costs of necessary works to renew or repair thatched properties.
A higher grant (up to €5,714) may be awarded for houses on specified sslands.
When asked about the worst aspect of the trade, he joked: “Getting paid from the owner”, before adding: “The hardest part of the job is preparing the straw, which needs to be handled in a particular manner.”
A thatch roof can take roughly 10 weeks to finish and can be constructed during all seasons, provided, Brereton said “you’re hardy enough”.
Thatch roofs have unique waterproof properties due to the special thatching technique used to pack in the material, which binds together in the process, forming a water resistant seal.
They are more durable than some might suspect, with reed thatch lasting up to 50 years and straw roofs between 15-25 years with regular upkeep and maintenance.
Brereton is quick to dismantle the common misconceptions that pervade the thatch industry, including its supposed associated high fire risk, which he claims is misplaced since thatch roofs.
“All new houses have timber frames and if a fire starts, it will go up in flames in no time, whereas a thatch property will take days to burn so it can easily be savaged, you just have to pull the burning straw out and pour water on the fire.
“I have a thatch house myself and five or six years ago, two young lads tried to set fire to it as I was lying in bed. A neighbour woke me up and got me out of bed and I went out and got up on the roof and started pulling the burning straw out immediately.
“The fire brigade arrived on scene shortly after and told us to get away from the fire; ‘leave it, you won’t save a thatched house’, they were going to let it go up in flames.
“I said, ‘we’re thatchers, we know what to do, get out those hoses and start helping us’ and the firemen started helping pulling out the straw, and we saved my cottage,” Brereton said.
Brereton, who is 70 years old, shows no sign of slowing down, despite the physical demands of the trade.
“I’ll tell you one thing, thatching is very hard on the back, because you’re leaning over all day, you have to be fit. This year now, this year was bad, my legs were bad but it was due to the cold weather, once the weather is fine I’ll be alright.
“I’ll be found dead on the ladder,” he declared.