Sunday, September 6th, 2020

In 1695 two statutes became the first of the Irish penal laws restricting the rights of Irish Catholics. One of the statutes forbade Catholics, who were not covered by the Treaty of Limerick to keep weapons. The other statute sought to sever the link between Catholics and continental Catholics, by forbidding Catholics going abroad for education, and also banned Catholics from teaching or running schools within Ireland. Eventually the restrictions increased and Catholic priests were not allowed to say Mass. Just as the population found ways to attend Mass they also paid teachers to secretly educate in what became known as hedge schools.

During the most restrictive years the hedge master would meet the children in isolated places to conduct the hedge school. Often if strangers were observed in the vicinity the children and teacher would disperse and meet the following day in another isolated meeting place. Most early hedge schools operated in the summer because they operated in the open or in the shelter of a hedge or wall. Eventually the penal laws were not enforced the hedge schools moved into huts, cabins or empty outbuildings. The majority of penal laws were removed between 1778-1793, however the last penal law was not removed until 1829.

Because of the secrecy associated with the early hedge schools there are very few records concerning the hedge schools of Glenmore. In the 1950’s and 1960’s Danny Dowling interviewed several elderly Glenmore residents who provided information of what their grandparents and others had stated about local hedge schools. It is likely that over the penal law years there were multiple hedge schools operating at various times across all of the townlands in the parish. Below are some of the hedge schools that have been identified.

Coolnaleen, Glenmore

Danny Dowling has stated that Coolnaleen was formerly knowns as Ardbeg. Dick Doherty (1889-1976) of Coolnaleen as interviewed on the 25^th of May 1962. Danny recorded that Dick Doherty reported that his grandfather (Richard Doherty, b. 1840) told him there was a schoolhouse in his lower yard. The Schoolmaster who taught in it was a man named John Kinnayr or Kinneir. He was a poor travelling teacher. He was paid 4 d. (old pence) a week. He taught in Coolnaleen for a “good while.” The pupils of the school were local children including Old Charlie Linegar, of Parkstown.  The Schoolmaster would march the children in two’s to Glenmore for confirmation and religious exams etc. The boys at that time used to wear flannel waistcoats.

Moulerstown, Glenmore

According to Matt Aylward, of Ballyfacey, an old schoolmaster (Poor Scholar) used to teach school in Doherty’s house in Moulerstown. In his interview of 8 August 1956 Matt identified the schoolmaster as Meeshteh-Zheen (sic) Butler. Matt’s grandmother saw the old schoolmaster.

Kilbride, Glenmore

In an undated interview James Culleton, Sr., of Kilbride revealed to Danny that the Old Hedge School in Kilbride was situated eight perches beyond the Bill Grace’s House, on the other side of the road. It was a thatched structure. The last master in it was Paddy Butler of Rahora. It was closed in 1868, when the National School in Ballyfacey was built. Pupils came to it even from as far as Ballycroney. It was there for about 20 years or more.

There was another old school in Kilbride which was situated at the back of Kennedy’s house, in a house belonging to Micil Culleton. Now gone it was known as the Old College. Daniel Galavan was the school master in it. It was gone before the famine. 

Ballyfacey, Glenmore

James Culleton, Sr. also reported that there was an old school in a house in the present George Connor’s farmyard in Ballyfacey about 1850. On the bounce of Bishopsmountain there was another old hedge school in the townland of Ballyfacey. All of the Knockbrack children attended this school.

Rathinure, Glenmore

A hedge school was located in the commons in the townland on the corner of the Kearney Bay Road (running from Aylwardstown to Rochestown) and the steep lane that runs from the Kearney Bay Road to the hamlet of Rathinure. Tom Haberlin’s forge later stood in the commons.

Ballycroney, Glenmore

In January 1955 Pat Coady, of Ballycroney told Danny that Paddy Butler, of Flemingstown was the last master of the old hedge school in Ballycroney.

Ballygurrim, Glenmore

Danny also took notes from the Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland (1844) which provided that the population in Ballygurrim civil parish in 1831 was 693 that increased in 1841 to 796 residents in 125 dwelling houses. In 1834 there was a pay day school attended by 45 to 50 children.

Kilmakevogue, Glenmore

The Gazetteer also reveals that the civil parish of Kilmackevogue had a population in 1831 of 1,027 which increased in 1841 to 1239 housed in 187 dwelling houses. The Roman Catholic Chapel at Glenmore had an attendance of 1,000. It was noted that in 1834, there were 2 Protestants in Kilmakevogue and 1,047 Catholics, and there were two pay daily schools that were usually attended in the summer by about 140 children.

Bob Walsh in Glenmore Times (2000) also identified hedge schools in Milltown, Parkstown and Kearney Bay. 

If any reader has any information where other hedge schools may have been located in the parish please comment below or email glenmore.history@gmail.com and we will add to the list.

Establishment of National Schools

The Commissioners for National Education (National Education Board) were established in 1831 to administer £30,000 that was provided to the Lord Lieutenant for the education of the poor in Ireland. The powers of the Commissions were based on a set of instructions drawn up by Chief Secretary Stanley rather than by any legislative enactment.  The Commissioners were empowered to make grants to existing schools for the payment of teachers and the provision of equipment and also to provide for the building of new schools, to appoint and pay inspectors and to establish a model school for the training of teachers. Originally the Education Offices were located at 30 Merrion Square and in 1840 moved to Marlboro House. This system was brought to an end in 1922 when its functions were taken over by the Minister for Education.

Danny Dowling, with what is now a battered old notebook, visited the Public Records Office in Dublin, reviewed the early records of the Commission, and took notes regarding local schools. Today, these records are available in the National Archives.

Hedge schools, or other fee paying schools, could apply to the Commission for grants for the payment of teachers, improving or building school buildings and provision of equipment. Records are also available as to the location, relation if any to religious house, date of establishment, date school connected with Commission, lease particulars, patrons, dimensions of school, attendance and some inspector reports. Below is the information obtained by Danny. Although not all of the National Schools are in Glenmore parish children from Glenmore may have attended these schools.

Ballyfacy School N.S. [Folio 126, Roll No. 9880; District 49, Ida]
September 10, 1867
£170 to build or expenditure of £255
8 October 1867—a grant provided of £66-13-4 to build the school. An additional £100 provided (exceptional case) for 100 children
13 November 1868—Lease executed
23 March 1869—grant for £15 for the salary to Thomas O’Neill from 4   January 1869.
20 April 1869—grant of £16 for the salary to Kate Brereton as assistant from 4 January 1869.
15 June 1869—Thomas O’Neill dismissed from 30 June 1869.

Danny collected further details. Matt Aylward in 1956 revealed that the hill on which the Ballyfacey school was built was known as the “Jolla Hill.” James Culleton, Sr., of Kilbride, informed Danny that Micil Moore of Knockbrack, built Ballyfacey National School. It cost £95 to build, but £100 was collected for the building. With the extra £5 they bought a barrel of beer for the local people who drew the stones and sand. The School was repaired in 1907 at a cost of £137. The Teachers residence in Ballyfacey was built in 1904. Martin Hynes, of Aylwardstown was awarded the contract for the building of the teacher’s house, and the Malones of Shanbogh built it. George O’Connor drew the first load of sand.

Bigwood School N.S.
Established May 1839
Application to Board—3 January 1841
Taken by Board—31 March 1841
Size 1 room 40 X 16 X 12
School situated in Chapel yard.
Teacher Daniel Sullivan—instructions 9 to 5 in summer; 9 to 3 in winter

Shanbogh School N.S.
Est. 1847 Connected with Board 13 July 1848 Not inspected. No Comments. 1 room 19 X 14 X 7 

Ringville N.S., Kilcolumb Civil Parish (Folio 73) Male School
Size: 2 rooms 50 X 14 X 10 and 30 X 18 X 13
Established 1832
Connected with Board 29 October 1852.
Francis Drew teaching there in 10 August 1859. 
M.A. Drew teaching there July 1856.
Situated in Ballinlow Townland.

Robinstown N.S.  (Glenmore N.S.) Male School, Folio 13
11 April 1840—application for grant to pay teachers, rent and for supply of books
100 on rolls in 1855 with average daily attendance of 37 pupils

Robinstown N.S. (Glenmore N.S.) Female School
1 apartment 27 X 17 X 18
Teachers Margaret Brereton 18 and  Kate Brereton 20. 
Went to Rosbercon Community school.
Attendance in 1867 of Robinstown National Schools = 99 females; 26 males, by James Aylward

In 1834 Father Fielding, the Glenmore Parish Priest applied for a grant for a school to be built. Land for the school was provided by the landlord Lord Bessborough. The school opened in 1835 and thanks to another grant from the Commission it contained 17 desks and a teacher’s desk. The student desks each accommodated 10 students. When the school opened in 1835 two hundred students enrolled.

Slieverue N.S.—Civil parish of Rathpatrick; Townland of Slieverue
Established March 1840
House is 60 feet in length by 22 feet in breadth and 10 feet in height is good repair. Divided into 2 rooms. The boy’s room is 32 feet X 18 feet; girl’s room 20 feet by 18 feet.
Furnished with 22 desks all new.
Thomas Keefe, master aged 37 years. Ellen Halligan mistress aged 17 years. 
There are 150 male and 80 female children in daily attendance from 9 until 3 o’clock. Religion instruction morning and evening in the school rooms and in Saturday in the chapel.
There is a present want of books.
Fr Walsh paid male teacher £20 and female £15.

Given the size of the classrooms and the large number of enrolled students these early classrooms must have been very crowded. Certainly no social distancing could take place in these small crowded spaces. The youthful age of some of the teachers is also surprising as is the duration of the school day.  

For further detailed reading regarding hedge schools, see,   https://www.raggeduniversity.co.uk/2017/01/02/educational-history-the-hedge-schools-of- ireland/

Special thanks to Jacqueline Walsh for the early photograph of Ballyfacey National School.

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh