Drummullin National School

Date: 1 Jul 1890 to 1972
Location: Drummullin, Creeve, Elphin, County Roscommon, Ireland
Surname/tag: National_Schools

Contents 1 Location 2 History 2.1 Establishment 2.2 Description 2.3 Teaching Staff 2.4 Monitors 2.5 Pupils 2.6 The School's Folklore Collection, 1938-39 2.7 Community Use 2.8 Closure 3 Sources

Location

Drummullin National School is located in the townland of Drummullin in Creeve, Elphin, County Roscommon.

History

Establishment

Drummullin National School was first opened on 1 July 1890. The children of the parish of Creeve, Elphin were previously educated in the "School in the Lane" - Cloonahee National School. When Reverend Canon Patrick Mannion became the parish priest in Elphin, he set about improving the local school system and insisted on the establishment of a new school in Drummullin.

The school was split into a boy's and girl's room. Master Patrick Hayden, who had been principal of Cloonahee, continued his role here.

Description

(Add short description of layout of building)

In 1962, new toilets and cloak rooms were built in the school and it was spruced up with paint.

Teaching Staff

The Teachers of Drummullin National School:

• Patrick Hayden (1890-before 1911)

• Mary Anne Hayden (1896-circa 1931)

• Elizabeth "Lillie" Hayden (1909-circa 1944)

• Mr Hughes (1913-1915)

• James Curley (1915-1950s)

• Mrs Duke (circa 1944-1962)

• James McBride (1950s-circa 1960)

• Josephine Flanagan (1962-1963)

• Mary Jane "Mae" Regan (1963-1972)

In July 1896, Mary Anne Hayden, the twenty-three year old daughter of Patrick Hayden, was appointed principal of the girl's school. She worked side by side with her father. In April 1909, her younger sister Elizabeth (Lillie) joined the school as a Junior Assistant Mistress in the girl's school.

Master Hayden retired from teaching before 1911. A Master Hughes succeeded him as principal in 1913. He stayed only two years. In 1915, Master James Curley, who hailed from Ballinafad, County Sligo, arrived. He became principal of the whole school when the boy's and girl's sections amalgamated in the 1920s. Miss Mary Anne Hayden was a privileged assistant principal.

Mary Anne Hayden retired circa 1931 and was followed by Lillie circa 1944. They were replaced by Mrs Duke from the nearby parish of Kilmore. Drummullin continued as a two teacher school. Mrs Duke taught the infants and first class pupils while Master Curley taught from second to sixth class.

Master Curley retired in the late 1950s after a long career. The new principal was appointed Master James McBride, from Annagry, County Donegal. Mrs Duke retired shortly after in 1962 and was replaced by Miss Josephine Flanagan from Tuam, County Galway.

Miss Flanagan left after a year in 1963. Mrs Mary Regan of Edenuan, Elphin, took over from her. Master McBride retired around this time (shortly before his sudden death) and Mrs Regan became principal. It remained a one teacher school for its final years.

Monitors

Mary Anne Dolan worked as a monitor in 1897 and was followed by Bridget Reynolds in 1898.

Pupils

(Pupil numbers and details)

The School's Folklore Collection, 1938-39

Drummullin National School was one of the many schools across Ireland to participate in the collection of old folk tales, rhymes and riddles in the local area. The fifth and sixth class pupils were tasked with gathering entries from family and neighbours. The teacher at the time was James Curley or "Séamus MacOirealla" as he is referred to in the books submitted.

The Collectors:

• James Gormley of Cummeen

• John Joseph McCormack of Carrowkeel

• Bernard Hayden of Kye

• Tony Green of Drummullin

The Storytellers

• James Gormley of Cummeen

• Michael Neary of Tansyfield

• Lynda Shannon of Tansyfield

• Laurence Shannon of Tansyfield

• Michael Gormley of Cummeen

• Martin Kearns of Coxtown

• James McGlynn of Kye

• Thomas Dowd of Cummeen

• John Beirne of Kye

• Brian Dowd of Cummeen

• John Conlon of Drummullin

• Thomas Gormley of Carrowkeel

Community Use

Night classes in Irish were held here in the late 1950s and early 1960s by Mrs Hayden of Strokestown.

Closure

Drummullin NS experienced a fall in number in the late 1960s and early 1970s as more students began to attend the town schools in Elphin. In its last years it had only one teacher.

It finally closed its doors in 1972 after eighty-two years of educating.

Sources

• Elphin National Schools: A Gathering of Memories

• Drummullan National School. (1938-39). The School's Collection. Available: https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4758472. Last accessed 28th May 2021.