ST. BRENDAN’S SCHOOL, A BRIEF HISTORY

by Tom Kenny

Bohermore School was founded in 1880 and was located where the Flanagan and Barrett homes are today, slightly in off the road on the left as you head towards the cemetery. It was owned by the Blake family of Menlo, and the Board of Works provided some funds towards it. In 1912, Michael Lohan was the headmaster and Tom O’Sullivan and Mr. O’Flynn were teachers there. The school consisted of one long room which was heated by a pot bellied stove.  School hours were from 9.30am to 3.30pm with an hour off at lunchtime. James Redington was the school inspector. Eventually, the building proved to be too small so a new school was built in Woodquay.

It was called St. Brendan’s and opened in November 1920. It had three classrooms and a hall which could double as a teaching area, and they were heated by turf fires. The subjects taught were Irish, English, Maths, Geometry, Algebra, Catechism, History and Geography. Tom Keogh from Canal Road was the headmaster for many years and was replaced by Tom Walsh who lived beside the school. Michael Muldoon, Mrs. Lee and Michael Morris were teachers who were remembered with affection.

In 1962, during a big freeze, the school closed for six weeks because of burst pipes. On the first Friday of every month, the pupils were marched to the Pro-Cathedral to go to Confession, and if they did not attend mass there on the following Sunday, they got slogged. A big highlight was the day the annual supply of turf arrived as it was spent carrying the turf around to a large shed located at the back of the school. The air was thick with dust as sods ‘accidentally’ flew through the air aimed at someone, but what matter, it was a free day and better than learning history or algebra.

The school closed in 1969 because of capacity issues and the pupils and staff moved to Scoil Íosagáin on the Tuam Road which had been built in 1956.

Our photograph, which we show you courtesy of Willie Browne, is of a St. Brendan’s class taken c. 1960. They are, front row; Mattie Griffin; Oliver Henry; ----- ; Frank Cloonan; Cyril O’Neill; Tony Diiviney; Willie Diviney; Ricky Fahy; ----- ; Gerry O’Loughlin; Martin Geary; ------ .  Second row, sitting; Kevin Divilly; Frank Keady; Tom O’Neill; ------ ; Paul Merrigan; Joe Dodd; Seán Bane; Mike O’Donnell; Gerry Thornton; Noel McDonagh. At the back, standing, are; William Henry; Joe Walsh; John Cloonan; Bernard Creaven; Jack Mulveen; Bernie Mongan; Bernard Furey; Willie Browne; Pat Forde; James Minogue; Joe Keating; Stephen Fahy; Johnny Boyle; Jimmy Dodd; Stephen Francis and Joe Cloonan.

This is one of the many photographs in the current issue of St. Patrick’s Parish Magazine, edited by Willie Henry,  which has just been published, a collection of articles, profiles, history & nostalgia all relating to the parish, and is available @ 5 euro at local shops. It is an important record of parochial events and maybe a template for other parishes to follow.

Here’s a thought - is it now time for someone, or maybe a group of individuals, to compile a history of St. Brendan’s School while it is still alive in living memory?