The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
Long after Scropul National School closes its doors for good on June 29, the school’s 152-year history will be kept alive in a book that will be launched at 8pm on Saturday in the Bellbridge House Hotel.
The school, which caters for just four pupils, will close on the last Friday of this month and will amalgamate with Coore National School next September.
Having taught at Scropul National School for 30 years, Patricia Rynne, who was appointed school principal in 2000, told The Clare Champion that the idea to compile a history book emerged about two years ago.
“When the 150th anniversary came up, we decided we would do something on it. It was important to celebrate 150 years of education and the achievement of the pupils. We visited the archives in Dublin many times and the local studies centre in Ennis. We also interviewed quite a few past pupils and those interviews are in the book,” the retiring principal explained.
The school is still in its original location. “The initial application to the Commissioners of Education for the building of a schoolhouse was made in 1859 by Matthew Kenny. He was the landlord in the area and lived in Doolough Lodge. He made the initial application on the grounds that there was no school in the area. The school then opened in 1861 and he appointed his brother-in-law, Matthew Kelly, as manager of the school,” Patricia said.
“The first teachers were John O’Dea and Jane McMahon. John was 19 years old and Jane was 18½. There were 90 pupils on the roll. On the initial application form, it was mentioned that it was envisaged the school would cater for 100 pupils,” she noted.
Patricia cites rural population decline and emigration as among the primary reasons why the school pupil population has been reduced to just four boys in 2012. “There were a lot of big families in the area but they have all gone,” she reflected.
Patricia is confident former pupils and families associated with Scropul National School will enjoy reading Scropul National School 1860-2012.“We’re not really thinking about the closure at the moment because we’re so involved with the launch of the book. It’s an opportunity for past pupils to meet. They see it as a reunion as well as a book launch,” Patricia said, noting that Fr Tim Tuohy will launch the publication on Saturday.
Orders for the book can be registered with Ann on 065 7087630 or 087 9742791.
