A family has launched an online fundraiser after their 300-year-old Irish thatched cottage in Co Offaly burned down in a fire on the St. Brigid's Day Bank Holiday, February 6.
The blaze broke out at the historic thatched cottage near Bracknagh, Co Offaly, following a power outage in the local area.
Laura Lindholm said her family lost "pretty much everything" when their house caught fire last week.
"The fire services did what they could and luckily we are here to tell what happened because the ending could have been very different," Laura wrote on the crowdfunding site GoFundMe.
"We lost pretty much everything. We only managed to save a few important personal items but in reality, we were only left with the clothes we were wearing at the time. Our two daughters didn’t even have shoes."
Laura also mentioned the ongoing difficulty of getting insurance on historic thatched cottages in Ireland.
She notes "The thatch insurance issue has lately been getting a lot of press and the government did a survey to try to resolve this issue but it’s currently all still in the air without any decisions or supports."
Laura continues "The aftermath is devastating, but there is hope with the possible help of our amazing community to rebuild this thatched cottage loved by so many. The messages we have received have been heartwarming and all offers for help are more than greatly appreciated."
The Lindholm family is aiming to raise €200,000 to restore the historic cottage to its former glory and has so far raised more than €5,000.
Laura's husband Dan said the family would be "so grateful" if anyone was in a position to help.
"If anyone is in a situation to help we would be so grateful. Everyone has been rallying around and sharing their past with the house. At the moment we are exploring our options. We are all safe which is the main thing as are the dogs. Everything is up in the air. We have a mixture of emotions at the moment. We are going from day to day," Dan Lindholm said.
Click here to find out more or to donate to Laura Lindholm's "Help us rebuild our home & restore Irish heritage" GoFundMe campaign.
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