There were however some welcome developments. National schools were being established after 1831 when the British introduced the National Board of Education. These schools provided a formal state-run system of education for all pupils and ran side by side with the Hedge Schools or Pay Schools operated independently by masters or mistresses. The Hedge Schools, in the curriculum they provided, were limited to the three Rs, Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. Accommodation was in barns, houses or chapels but seldom in the open as had been the case during the penal laws of the 1700s. Gradually these Hedge Schools disappeared as the National Schools became established.

Prior to 1831 there are records of a school in Ennishmore, in 1824 with a Rev. George Spaight as patron or correspondent and from 1825 a John Humphreys is recorded as teacher there (cf. “Breifne 1980-‘81” ‘Some Cavan Schools and Teachers 1814-‘31’ by Padraig de Brún MA, Dlitt.). There was also a school in Aughadrumgullin where “musick” teacher Edward Reilly 34 taught according to the 1824 Report of the Commissioners of Education. His wife Catherine is described as a “blue dyer”, at that time a flourishing cottage industry in Co Cavan, cf “The Schools and Scholars of Breifne” p 346, by Philip O’Connell. The same author speaks of a school in Plush with teacher John Reilly age 26 and an attendance of 36, 22 boys and 14 girls. A further reference to this school in 1824 states that John Reilly’s school at “Aughuderapluse” was conducted in a “kitchen in master’s house”, attendance of 68, 44 boys and 24 girls. In Knockfad the schoolmaster Laurence Brady was conducting a school in 1824 in the “master’s house” with an attendance of 24, 14 boys and 10 girls. There is also a reference to a school in Egarnus (Egramush), school master John Humphries age 35. There is no mention of attendance details at this school.

Post 1831, the record of our schools is best summarised in another article penned by Philip J Smyth in “Butlersbridge and its People” pp 25 – 27. Ed. Paddy Leddy.

Coolboyogue N.S.
Philip J. Smyth

A video of the last day of Coolboyogue school where Phil and Ann Smith close the door for the last time in 1974. I would like to thank Phil Smith for the original video footage.

Coolboyogue is the oldest National School in the area. The original school was in the small garden to the right of Deggan Lane, while a Catholic Church was situated in Drumgola on the left-hand side of Deggan lane. The present school house occupies the former site of the chapel. For a short period thereafter there was a temporary chapel on the lands of John Reilly now Andrew Boylan's in Derragarra. (Meath People 31-05-1862) The Report of the Commission of Education 1826 shows that John Brady had a R.C. Pay school in a ‘poor cabin’ in Coolboyogue with 70 pupils on roll. The 1835 Report shows that it was now a two teacher school run by John McEnally and his wife and was receiving a grant of £14 per year from the National Board of Education.
The present building was erected in 1884 and it was renovated and a new classroom built in 1938. The Boys’ Register dates back to 1863 and the Girls’ Register to 1865. The school was replaced by Butlersbridge Central in 1974 and was sold to Paddy Tully in 1975 who converted it into a comfortable dwelling house.

Teachers
Philip Ruddy 1910-1950 Rose Smith/Cahill 1905-1916
Annie Caldwell 1918-1923 Evelyn Morgan 1917-1918
Patrick Keavney 1950-1968 Mary B. Gormley/Reilly 1923-1968
Philip Smyth 1968-1974 Ann Smyth 1968-1974

Coolboyogue 1923 click to enlarge also do email butlersbridge@gmail.com with any information, names, stories etc

The following account of a concert in Coolboyogue school on the 27th Janurary 1905 appeared in the Anglo Celt 4th Feb 1905.  The concert was held to raise funds to defray expenses on repairs to the school.  The names of pupils and guests are mentioned together with several of the popular songs and recitations of the time.

In November 2008 the late Brendan Coulter told me that many pupils from Cavan town attended Coolboyogue school.  Some of the families surnames were as follows:  Mullerys, Jenkins, Breens, McGaurans, McCabes, Cullens, Howards, McGowans.  The Principal Master Ruddy, who lived on Bridge Street Cavan, cycled out daily. Insert by PJ Dunne

KILNALACK NATIONAL SCHOOL

Kilnlack N.S. 1890

Kilnalack was a small two-roomed slated building, which stood between Butlersbridge – Belturbet Rd. and Annagh Lake. It opened in 1890 and closed in 1974. There were two carved stones on the southern gable. The stone at the top bore a coat of arms, a serpent twined round a vine and the words “FORTITUDINE ET SAPIENTIA” while the other said “HONOUR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER”. No trace of the school now remains as the present road goes through the middle of the former site, but Cavan County Council have tastefully preserved the stones in a monument on the far side of the road.

Teachers:
Mrs. Fitzpatrick Patrick J. Keavney
Mrs. Callaghan Ann Brady
Lily O’Dowd Kathleen Leddy

OTHER SCHOOLS

In addition to Coolboyogue and Kilnalack the Report of the Commission on Education in 1826 lists the following schools:

Drumlark School – This was a Church of Ireland school and had 70 pupils on roll. It was on the right-hand side of Cavan-Butlersbridge road. The teachers’ residence and schoolroom are still there. The school was supported financially by the Association for Discountenancing of Vice and in 1826 the teacher was Thomas Coulter.

Butlersbridge N.S. 1903 click to enlarge also do email butlersbridge@gmail.com with any information, names, stories etc

Butlersbridge

The schoolhouse occupied an acre site on the Clones Road. Mr. Cusack’s house may be the original building. The school which was Church of Ireland got a grant of £7 per year from the Society for the Discountenancing of Vice and £10 from a private source. John Humphries was the teacher and there were 74 pupils on roll. According to local tradition, Indian corn was distributed from this building during the Famine.

Deredis Day School

This school was funded by Lord Farnham and in 1835 the teacher was James Smith and there were 61 pupils on roll. It is now used as Derryheen Hall.

Drumahurk Hedge School

Pat Sheridan was the teacher and there were 50 pupils on roll.

Inishmore

Schoolhouse and residence still stand on one acre site and was used as a Sunday school for Church of Ireland until recently. In 1835 Robert Mee was the teacher and there were 104 pupils on roll. This school was grant-aided by the Kildare Street Society.

BUTLERSBRIDGE CENTRAL

By the 1960s both Coolboyogue and Kilnalack schools were in poor repair without proper heating or flush toilets. The Department decided to close both schools and build a central school in the village. Both old schools closed on the last day of January 1974 and the pupils arrived at the new school on 4th February, 1974. The school was officially opened by Mr. Richard Burke T.D., Minister for Education in June 1974 and was blessed by Most Rev. Dr. McKiernan. Rev. Patrick Gargan Adm., was responsible for building the school. Cavan County Council bought a field from Ger Farrell in 1970 and Fr. Gargan bought half the field from the Council as a site for a new school. The contractor was James McGovern, Bawnboy and the contract price was £24,000. The parish contribution was £2,000.
Teachers:
Philip Smyth 1974-1993
Ann Brady 1974-1975
Ann Smyth 1974-1994
Mary Cunningham 1975-1979
Evelyn Brady 1979-2005

The 1911 Ordnance Survey Map shows that there was a school where the Sheridan family home was in the village. I am grateful to Mrs. Kathleen Duffy who remembers that this was a Sunday School for the Protestant Community of the surrounding area of Butlersbridge. The property belonged to the Sadler family 80 years ago or so and was in use at that time. It was closed up for sometime and was then bought by the Sheridan family. Today the property is owned by the McEntee family.