Kilgarvan

There is a record of a hedge school in Kilgarvan in 1835. This school was kept by Owen Murphy and instruction was given in Reading, Writing, Arithmetic and Roman Catholic Catechism. The school was supported by quarterly payments of 2s.6d., contributed by each child.

Caroreigh

Caroreigh School, which is listed in the old records as Caro-Reigh, was established on 1 November, 1852 in the townland of Caro-Reigh in the then parish of Kilgarvan, in the postal town of Taghmon. It was on chapel grounds and was a slated stone, one-roomed building, 45’ long, 17’ wide and 14’ high. It was a non-vested school, built entirely from local funds. The application for the establishment of the school was made by the Roman Catholic priest, Rev. Andrew Kehoe. The incumbent of the Church of Ireland had a bible school at Shanoule and was opposed to the National School system. 

First Teacher

The first teacher was Bernard Curry, aged 19 years, who had previously taught in Cullenstown, His salary was £11 per annum and when he left in 1855, he was earning a princely sum of £14 per year. In 1853, the school was closed all during February, except on the 7th and on the 21st, because the teacher was ill and the weather was cold.

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The teachers who taught in the school from 1855 until 1868 (when the schools of Caroreigh and Tottenhamgreen were amalgamated) were – Wm. Singleton, Pat Evoy, M.J. O’Conner, Mr. McCabe, Pat Somers and Walter Power. It seems that the teacher’s salaries were withdrawn and restored quite regularly on the recommendation of the Board of Education. Some misdemeanors which incurred this penalty included: incompetency, tampering with the roll books or not adhering to the timetable.

School Manager

The local priest was the school manager and he also conducted religious instruction classes which were given outside of official school hours, either after school in the evenings, or on Saturdays. In December 1858, the inspector ordered that all religious instruction – prayers or other religious exercise – were to be restricted to the time set apart for that purpose as notified on the timetable. In 1861 the school was closed from 5th May to 1st June because the children were attending a mission.

Amalgamation of Caroreigh and Tottenhamgreen

Unfortunately in 1868, [the school in Tottenhamgreen] was closed due presumably to falling numbers. The pupils amalgamated with Caroreigh under the principalship of Mary Kelly.

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In 1867, the Caroreigh School was closed during all of Michaelmas term [autumn term], for repairs and alterations, in preparation for the amalgamation with Tottenhamgreen. The porch was added at this time and a partition was built to make a second classroom. When the school re-opened in January 1868, it was under the principalship of Mary Kelly. There were 87 on the roll, 44 of whom were female and 43 were male. Mary Kelly had been teaching in Tottenhamgreen and was 22 years old. Her salary was £24 per annum. Catherine Dunne was appointed as Infant and Junior Literary assistant. She was £19 years old and she earned £14 per year. This young lady had been teaching in Trinity and her testimonial consisted of a certificate from a teacher of needlework. Both these ladies taught in Caroreigh until 1903 when they retired. Mary Kelly received a pension of £35 per annum and Catherine Dunne got £19. In 1883 the teacher’s residence was built with the help of a grant of £200 from the Board of Education. The Principals of Caroreigh lived here up to 1970 when the house was sold. 

The Teachers

Mary Kelly was replaced by Miss Comerford, who was her niece. She later became Mrs. Bernie and lived in the teacher’s residence with her husband Aidan. The assistant teacher was Miss O’Leary. Mrs. Bernie was replaced as principal by Miss O’Connor who married Jimmy Murphy of Shanoule. Mrs. Murphy suffered ill health and occasionally had substitute teachers, some of whom were Miss Forrestal and Miss Devereaux. During this time a Miss Killeen, from Co. Roscommon, became assistant and resided at Whitty’s of Barry’s Cross (now Banville’s). She probably replaced Miss O’Leary.

Next came Ciss Bennett, whose father was a teacher in Taghmon NS. She married Matty Parle. In the mid 1920s, Rita Boyle (who married Sgt. Mahon of Adamstown) arrived. During her time here she produced a renowned school play called ‘Heaps of Money’. It was staged in Camross Hall on Easter Sunday night and the proceeds went towards school funds. The cast included Aidan, Tom and John Morrissey, John Redmond, Bill O’Brien, Matty Doyle, Pat and John O’Reilly, Nan Doyle, Bea Morrissey and Katie Foley.

When Mrs. Murphy retired, Jimmy Kelly was appointed as principal. The assistant teachers during Mr. Kelly’s sojourn were Miss O’Loughlin (who resided at O’Gorman’s, Poulpeasty), followed by Eunice McCarthy (who lived at Tom Morrisey’s, Camross) and Rita Curtis. Miss O’Loughlin was renowned as a highly skilled teacher of needlework.

A new school was built in 1949. Jimmy Kelly left around 1960 and Diarmuid Murray (O’Muirithe) became principal for two years before he left and eventually went to work with RTE. During his time in Caroreigh he produced a play called ‘An Táiliúir’, which was written by his father. This production was performed at an All-Ireland schools’ Drama Festival in the Gate Theatre in Dublin and took 4th place. The cast included Billy Nolan, Annie O’Reilly, Maria Doyle, Michael Quigley, Michael Kelly, Gerald Kelly, Tom Roche, Jim Nolan, Martin Nolan, Nicholas Stafford, Margaret Jordan and Statia MacDonald.

Following the departure of Diarmuid O’Muirithe, Rita Curtis became acting principal until Eugene Coyle arrived. Rita’s assistant was Mrs. Patsy Curtis of Carrigbyrne. It was around this time that Caroreigh became a three-teacher school. The assistant teachers during Mr. Coyle’s time were Mary Murray, Mona Fortune (later Mrs. Ffrench), Mrs. Anne McLoughlin, Anne Vaughan (Mrs. Roche) and Ita Curtin. Mr. Coyle left in 1969.During the school year 1969-70, Anne McLoughlin taught the senior classes in the old school building (behind the Church). Meanwhile a third classroom was added. The manager during this period was Rev. Henry Williams.

Eddie Dunne became principal in 1970. Ann Doyle came as assistant when Ita Curtain left. Imelda Dunne (wife of Eddie) joined the staff when Anne Vaughan left in 1975. Ann Doyle was followed by Niamh O’Shea, then Miss Walshe, and in 1980 Lou Barden arrived. In 1993 Caroreigh became a four-teacher school and Mrs. Celia Walshe was appointed. At this time, as in 1969, following the renovation of the old school, it was again used as a classroom. After much lobbying and hard work on the part of the manager, Rev. Martin Casey and the Parent’s Council, a fourth classroom was added and the existing school was extensively refurbished.

An Educational Therapist (remedial teacher) in the person of Ann Nolan was appointed in 1995. She spent three morning each week in Caroreigh.

• Adapted from Schools – Then and Now Part 1 (Shanoule, Kilgarvan, Caroreigh, and Tottenhamgreen)’ by Maria Colfer, Michael Doyle & Margaret O’Gorman as it appears in ‘Taghmon Historical Society – Recording the history of the parish’ (Journal No. 2, 1997)