Townland of Leckemy (Carrowblagh)

Area: 935 acres
Irish Name: Meaning: The Townland with the rock slab outside it.
Spelling Variations: none

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West of Moville in the townland of Lecamy, near the base of Crocknamerragh there is to be seen an example of an ancient Sweat House. Sweat Houses were used in Ireland from the earliest times down to early in the 19th century for the cure of rheumatism. This one, called the Lisnalecky Sweat House is a roughly built round structure beehive in shape, with corbelled roof no longer complete. The building is 7ft 6ins in height, with a circumference at the base of 40 inches, and there is a low lintel-covered little door through which one must creep. Its believed that a great fire of turf was kindled inside till the house became heated like an oven; after which the embers and ashes were swept out. Then the person, wrapping himself in a blanket, crept in and sat down on a bench of sods, after which the door was closed up. He remained there an hour or so until he was in a proper perspiration; and then, creeping out, plunged right into cold water after emerging from which he was well rubbed till he became warm. After several baths at intervals of some days he commonly got cured. In Germany a Turkish bath is called an Irish bath, as the idea is said to have come from Irish Sweat Houses.

Ancient Sweathouse, Lecamy, Moville
Taken from
'Romantic Inishowen' 1947
By Harry Percival Swan

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