School: Sliabh na Cille (roll number 14513)

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1. Old Schools

   

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   There was an old school at a place called Srath Salach in the townland of Stranagarvana just below Denis McHugh's bridge. This school was taught by a teacher called Cullen who was a stranger in the district. A teacher of the district also taught there; he was a brother of "Fox" McGrails. The pupils used to get relief bread in those days.

   The principal books used were "Reading Made Easy", "The Voster" which was an arithmetic and "the Premier".

   Writing was not started until the reading was mastered. That is why we had many people of the older generations who could read but who could not write. Quill-pens were used for writing and ink was made from flagger roots ( called "flaggon" locally). The teacher got a shilling a quarter from each member of a family taught by him. He went home with the pupils on their their turn. The teachers were trained in Munster. Such schools were not, as far as is known, conducted in the open air in this locality. Often teachers were given the use of a barn or a kitchen in which to conduct their classes.

   English was spoken in these schools and was the medium of instruction. The Irish Catechism was taught. While English was used in the school, Irish was the language of intercourse at all social functions such as céilidhthe which were held every night. Slates were used for writing and often the shank of an old pipe was the only kind of pencil available. On the pupils' knees the writing was done. They sat on a hay súgán on top of a stone. Often there was no chimney on the smoky cabins where these schools

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. objects
      1. man-made structures
         1. buildings
            1. schools (~4,094)

   Languages

   Irish

   English

   Informant

   Mr Sylvester Maguire

   Gender

   Male