In County Fermangagh, Ireland, near the historic town of Belcoo, lives a woman who has spent her entire life doing everything her ancestors would have done. The 280-year-old white washed thatched-roof cottage with bog oak timbers is home to Mary Gallagher, 77. She was born in this house in 1942 and has never had the modern conveniences that most of us have grown accustomed to.

Every day, she cooks over an open fire, tends to her livestock, and hauls water from a spring by bucket.She has never had electricity, running water, a phone, or a computer, and she has never wished for such modern conveniences. She does, however, have a small wind-up radio that she uses to get the news and the date every day. Gallagher’s grandfather purchased the land in the 1800s, and it has been the family’s pride throughout the years.

Gallagher has spent decades giving tours of her property and educating locals and tourists alike on the history and folklore of the area. However, she does not want people to think of her house as a museum. She also expresses a desire to continue living in this manner until she “goes out in a brown box.” In the video below, you can hear more about her life and see her describe how a thatched roof is made.