The Sweat House (Teach Allais) Creevaghbawn

Location of Sweathouse

About  three miles from Tuam on the Dublin Road is a signpost marked Teach Allais, the English version sweathouse. Allais is the Irish for sweat. The townland where it is situated is Craobhach Bán (Creevaghbawn in English), meaning a place of the whitethorn. The sweathouse is a small stone hut, having a tiny entrance; beside this structure is a walled Well with a plaque on the inside of the wall. The figure on the plaque is St. Albert.

The church nearby now in ruins belonged to the Carmelite Order which was supressed in the mid 16th century. It is believed that they stayed on in the area many years afterwards.

How the Teach Allais was used

Long ago, the Teach Allais or sweathouse was used to treat people who had a fever. A big turf fire was kindled on the flagged floor of the sweathouse. When the sweathouse was sufficiently heated the fire was raked and a bucket of water was thrown on the hot flags and rushes placed on  top of them.

The patient was then put on a stretcher and a small flagstone was placed placed over the entrance door to keep in the steam. When the patient had perspired sufficiently, they took him or her out and poured lots of spring water from the well on the patient. It was believed that the spring water had curative powers as well.

Then then wrapped the person in a blanket and put him or her to bed. In a few days, the patient was generally in good health.