Ms Newman said: 'It is very hard to get house insurance for thatched cottages. Very few companies cover them. 'The thatch has to be in good condition - my parents don't have that kind of money.

The race is on to save the remaining thatched cottages in Ireland and train the next generation to restore them to their ...

"I have a big interest in it, because my grandfather and my two uncles used to keep the thatch on the house maintained and I saw that as a wee girl," she said. Fidelma said it is important to pass ...