Liz Ryan, The Leap, Davidstown, Co Wexford The Dresser, its owners and local history

Here is a chat I recorded with Liz Ryan back in June 2025. This dresser still stands in the house it was originally made for. It belonged to the Duggan family, who had a nearby forge going back 11 generations. Instead of drawers, it has two small doors — an unusual feature — along with the typical middle shelf support you see in North Wexford dressers. She remembers the hen setting inside the dresser in the mid-1950s. It had small bars on the door to keep the hen in, and a panel with an air hole was added later. These weren’t called 'chicken coop' dressers locally, as some now suggest. The clay floor the hens scratched is still underneath — visible under the lino. This interview was recorded by Michael Fortune for The Irish Dresser Project and also The Irish Dresser and Folklore Calendar. You can find out more at www.thedresserproject.ie or www.folklore.ie