De Valera's Cottage facts for kids
Quick facts for kids De Valera's Cottage |
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Teachín De Valera
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| General information | |
| Status | Museum |
| Type | cottage |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| Location | Knockmore |
| Town or city | Bruree |
| Country | Ireland |
| Coordinates | 52°26′01″N 8°39′26″W / 52.433639°N 8.657111°W |
| Elevation | 54 m (177 ft) |
| Construction started | 1885 |
| Owner | Office of Public Works |
| Technical details | |
| Material | cast iron, timber, slate, concrete, limestone |
| Floor count | 1 |
| Designations | |
| Official name: De Valera's Cottage | |
| Reference #: | 576 |
| Known for | Childhood home of Éamon de Valera |
De Valera's Cottage is a special house in County Limerick, Ireland. It is also known as a National Monument, which means it's a very important historical site. This cottage was the childhood home of Éamon de Valera (1882–1975), who grew up to become a major leader in Ireland. He served as the President of Ireland and held other important roles in the Irish government.
Contents
Where is De Valera's Cottage?
De Valera's Cottage is located about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) north of a village called Bruree. You can find it on the road that leads to Athlacca.
The Story of the Cottage
Building the Cottage
This small house is a labourer's cottage, which means it was built for working families. It was constructed in 1885 by the Kilmallock Poor Law Union.
Éamon de Valera's Childhood Home
Éamon de Valera was born in New York City in 1882. When he was just three years old, in 1885, his uncle Ned brought him to Ireland after his father passed away. Éamon then came to live in this cottage outside Bruree.
He lived there with his grandmother, Elizabeth Coll, and her children, Patrick and Hannie. Even when his mother remarried, Éamon stayed in Ireland at the cottage.
Life on the Farm
Life at the cottage was simple. The family had a small farm, only about half an acre. They also used a clever trick called "the long farm." This meant they would let their cattle graze on the grass along the roadside. This was against the rules, so young Éamon had to keep a lookout for policemen from the Royal Irish Constabulary. If he saw them, he would quickly pretend to be moving the cattle across the road to avoid getting into trouble!
Walking to School
When Éamon was a teenager, he walked a long way to school every day. His school, C.B.S. Charleville, was about 11 kilometers (7 miles) away. He walked there and back each morning and evening because his family could not afford a bicycle.
The Cottage Today
Even after he became a famous leader, Éamon de Valera often came back to visit the cottage. Today, De Valera's Cottage is a museum. Inside, you can see many items that belonged to de Valera, including the trunk he brought with him from New York when he first arrived in Ireland.
What the Cottage Looks Like
The house is a single-story building with three sections, called "bays." It stands on its own, not connected to other buildings.
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