The Irish Church Missions was the missionary wing of the Church of Ireland and England. They were a very rich organisation who felt it was imperative to convert Roman Catholics “from the errors of Popery”. Around the year 1850, they had two houses in Merchants Road and established a school in one of them (known as The Dover School ) where a child might get an evening meal and a night’s lodging after attending a Bible class.
They felt a new Mission Schoolhouse and dormitory was needed, so in 1862, they built it at Nile Lodge and it became known as the Sherwood Fields Orphanage. The building, which was much smaller then, was of cut stone and consisted of a church and a classroom facing south with a dwelling house in the centre. Behind was the refectory. Some of the floors were paved with cobble stones. Like most ‘bird’s nest’ schools it was a boarding school and housed mainly Conamara children. Because of the proselytising, the Catholic clergy and most of the population were against the school. The food consisted mostly of Indian meal and brochán, a kind of soup that lead to the term ‘soupers’.
The orphanage ceased to function in 1905/6 and shortly afterwards it became a recreation centre for the British Army, and when they left in 1922 a caretaker took over the building. In 1926, it was sold to the Knights of Columbanus. From 1929 to 1931, the McHale Summer School was run here; they taught oral and written Irish as well as classes in traditional Irish singing and dancing. In 1931, the Department of Education bought the building and on April 24 1933, Scoil Fhursa, an all-Irish national school named after St Fursey who was born on an island on Lough Corrib, was opened.
Eleven boys and 20 girls attended that day, they were taught by two temporary teachers who were soon replaced by permanent staff, Bean Uí Duignan, Bean Uí Sedwards, Nora Naughton and Bean Uí Bheirn, and later Iníon Ní Bhreathnaigh and Cáit Ní Riordán. As a local paper reported, “Four rooms are equipped as classrooms and are capable of accommodating 200 children. One room is especially equipped for cookery. There is a large yard and a fine playing pitch attached to the school, large porches, cloakrooms and wash rooms are attached to each section.”
In the early days, for special occasions such as First Communions or public parades, the girls wore a distinctive beautiful white báinín frock with a brat (cloak ) lavishly decorated with Celtic designs with was attached to one shoulder with a Celtic brooch.
The student numbers grew very quickly and the Department put a cap on the numbers attending. This infuriated the staff and parents alike as they campaigned for the appointment of additional teachers and the conversion of some of the vacant rooms in the building into classrooms. Progress was slow but by 1982, there were 10 teachers on the staff.
Our first image is of the original school building, with the old post box outside the gate. Our second is of a visit President Douglas Hyde made to the school in 1937. He is seen shaking hands with Treasa Curley. Among the other students are Eileen Clery, Madge Morrow, Mona Ward, Caitlín Nic Aoidh, Lasaríona Ní Mháille, Maureen Stewart, Éanna De Paor, Noreen Horan, Maeve Keogh, Nessa Clery, Kathleen McManus, Eibhlín Ní Bheirne, Aedín Timoney, Máirín Conneely, Nuala Cahill, Rita Courtney, Pearl Walsh, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Blánaid Ní Bhroin, Nuala Ní Eochaidh, Maureen Hession, Una O’Clery, Kathleen Costelloe, Joan O’Sullivan, Eileen O’Brien, Íde Torsnaí and Margaret Macken. The adults at the back are, from left, Nora Naughton, Iníon Ní Dhea (Bean Uí Duignan ), Iníon Ní Chuinn (Bean Uí Sedwards ), Iníon Ní Eochaidh (Bean Uí Bheirn ), P Ó Súilleabháin, cigire.
So as the school celebrates its 90th birthday next Monday, we wish them continued success. Go maire sibh an chéad!
