Photos taken to mark the first school year of the newly built girls national school, part of the Convent of Mercy Clonakilty. The new school was officially opened in September 1967.
Information on the national school below is reproduced with the kind permission of Darina Scally, school principal.
- JOSEPH’S CONVENT PRIMARY SCHOOL
CLONAKILTY
The Convent Primary School 1856 – 1967 was a non-vested school, over 100 years old, and by 1961 major repairs had been carried out. These were as follows: replacement of flooring, provision of modern sanitary facilities, erection of a new glazed partition, installation of electric storage heating, provision of a new roof, and the laying of tarmacadam paths and driveway at a cost of £ 2,826.12.12.
On September 8th 1961 the Board of Works were asked to furnish a report on the work carried out, and a recommendation to be made for the sanction of a grant towards the expenditure incurred.
The school was inspected by one of the Commissioners (Mr. Quinn) who stated that while the building was structurally sound and well-maintained it was out-moded and out-dated in plan and design. It was badly ventilated, and badly lighted, partitions unsuitable and had no proper cloakrooms and that the repairs which were undertaken on this old building would not be sanctioned by his Department, if the place had been inspected by them.
It was at this point that the idea of a new school sprang into being. The Superior Mother Antonio O’Shea – decided not to carry out any further improvements on the old building, and made application there and then for a grant towards the cost of a new school on November 2nd 1962.
Arrangements for the provision of a new school were sanctioned on February 14th 1963. The estimated cost of the school in June 1964 was £ 64,500 the local contribution being one seventh, and £15,000 for the Assembly Hall the local contribution being one third. The total contribution amounted to £15,273 including £1,130 for Professional Fees. This amount was greatly increased later on, due to increased costs of materials and labour.
The provision of this large sum of money placed a very heavy financial burden on the Community, but Mother Superior faced it with great courage and determination. She did all the correspondence, and was totally responsible for the entire project from the beginning until its completion in September 1967 and for this we are deeply grateful to her.
The old Primary School which served us well since 19th May 1856 was vacated in July 1967, and was handed over to the Secondary School. They had already been using some of the downstairs rooms, and needed the extra space. A huge renovation scheme was undertaken immediately. Partitions were removed and the entire area was re-constructed, re-modelled, painted and carpeted and given an entirely “new-look”.
On the Opening Day August 28th 1967 Mr. Sean De Burca R.I.P. the Cigire Ceanntair who had shown a keen interest in the project from the start, visited the school as a gesture of support and encouragement.
August 28th 1967. Dé Luain
| No. on Roll | No. Present | |||
| Infts. | 66 | 62(37,25) | ||
| Std. I. | 34 | 32 | ||
| Std.2 | 35 | 35 | ||
| Std.3 | 35 | 34 | ||
| Std.4 | 30 | 30 | ||
| Std. 5 | 40 | 39 | ||
| Std. 6 | 29 | 27 | ||
| TOTAL | 269 | 259 |
The teachers employed on the School Staff at the time were
Mrs. Mary Crowley – Junior Infants – Music and Singing
Sr. M. Ignatius Walsh – Senior Infants
Sr. M. Laurenza Kelly – Std. I.
Mrs. Cecilia Cullinane – Std. 2.
Sr. M. Francis Leane – Std. 3.
Sr. M. Colmana Harrington – Std. 4.
Sr. M. Agnes Herlihy – Principal Std. 5.
Sr. M. Veronica Neville – Std. 6.
Sr. M. Albeus Mullins – Cookery and Needlework Classes, the supervision of the playground during morning break and again at lunch-time. She also applied first-aid when required. Mrs. Eileen Nolan, Cork taught drama and elocution, and pupils were prepared for choral verse and speech training and examinations held by the Leinster College of Speech and Drama, Dublin. Mrs. Rita O’Sullivan, Bandon taught Irish step-dancing. Miss Nellie O’Sullivan, Ring, Clonakilty was employed as full-time cleaner at the school.
During the first term Mass was celebrated in the Assembly Hall by Monsignor John Barrett. P.P. V.G., Clonakilty R.I.P. The school children sang the various parts of the mass. After mass the Monsignor blessed the entire premises. Mass is now celebrated annually at the beginning of each school year, in the Convent Chapel. The pupils and their teachers assist at this special Mass to ask God’s blessing on their work for the year ahead.
On 15th May 1968 the first Public Concert was staged. This was to mark the official opening of the school, and to give the parents the opportunity of visiting the classrooms, and of seeing the work being done by teachers and pupils.
The Department of Education was represented by Mr. Sean Glennane, the Cigire Ceanntair at the time, on behalf of Mr. Tomas Ó Laoi, Roinn Cigire, who was unable to attend. Mr. Glennane addressed the parents and explained the advantages of having such a modern, well-built school with all the equipment, facilities, and techniques required for efficient teaching.
On the following Sunday, May 18th, a repeat performance was staged, and we were honoured by the presence of Archbishop Jurgens of Trujillo, Peru, who was on a visit to the Cork and Ross diocese at the time. He was accompanied by his interpreter – Fr. O’Leary and by Monsignor Barrett, Clonakilty.
Programmes very artistically designed by Sr. M. Laurenza were presented to the guests.