DRUMCHARLEY NATIONAL SCHOOL
PAST PUPILS REUNION

A huge crowd converged on Drumcharley on Saturday last the 5^th of June 2010  to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of the closing of the National School in 1970. On a beautiful sunny afternoon ,past pupils and teachers, along with their families gathered from all parts of the County, Country and abroad.

Drumcharley National School, now a Community Centre, and the adjacent Church of the Immaculate Conception looked splendid in the sunshine and the huge effort of the local community to whip the church and school and surrounding area into shape for the celebrations was really apparent. The newly painted buildings provided a beautiful venue for the events which took place to commemorate a lifestyle which is now just a memory, a happy, carefree time which all present agreed was one of the happiest times of their lives.

The Church of the Immaculate Conception could barely contain the large gathering many of whom had to stand at the back and outside in the church grounds. Chief Celebrant Fr Gerard Nash, himself a past pupil, reminded the congregation that it was in this Church we all received our First Holy Communion, and just a few yards up the road in the National School we learned how to read and write, we learned history and Irish and arithmetic and most important of all we learned how to be community minded. He expressed regret that Brian Culloo R.I.P. who was principal of the school from 1956 until it closed its doors in 1970, passed to his eternal reward a few months ago. He also expressed his pleasure at the presence of Mrs Annie Corry, sister of the late Brian Culloo, at the Mass, the only former teacher still with us.

The beautiful acoustics of the Church created a wonderful auditorium for the choir lead by Kathleen Moloney, a choir which was drawn from the past pupils, male and female, who sang beautiful traditional hymns in Irish and English. The Choir was enhanced by solo performances from Vincent Griffin and Mary MacNamara, both past pupils. Readings, prayers of the faithful and the offertry      procession were also done by past pupils. Margaret Lynch gave a brief history of Drumcharley School, its closure and the efforts made in preparation for this event and she provided running commentary to inform those gathered on the different aspects of the celebration including the presentations at the end of Mass to Mrs Annie Corry, former teacher also to Mrs Ann Culloo, on behalf of Brian R.I.P. and Mr Tim Moloney in recognition of his mother, Mrs Annmarie Moloney’s contribution to education at Drumcharley School. Mrs Moloney was one of the last two teachers to hold positions at the school .

Following Mass the crowd were lead from the Church to the School by lone piper Patrick Murphy, a member of St Patrick’s Pipe Band, Tulla. Refreshments were served outside in the beautiful sunshine.  A  fantastic photographic display which was collected by Tim Moloney  was unveiled in the hall, comprising of school group photographs  going back to the early 1900’s, from Drumcharley, Knockjames and Glendree schools. Also on display were school books, Roll Books, blackboards and other memorabilia and a huge collection of interesting photographs from the surrounding area which have been collected over the past number of years.  A register of all pupils attending Drumcharley School up to 1964 was also on display along with some school magazines which had been published in the 1960’s.

One of the highlights of this display were copies of foclóir collected by the Foclóir Commission in 1937/38, when it was decided to ask pupils in 5^th, 6^th and 7^th class in all schools in Ireland to interview their grandparents and record this interview in copy books provided by the Commission. This collection of material turned out to be one of the largest collections of Folclóir in Ireland and the original documents are in safe keeping in UCD in Dublin. It gives us an insight into what life was like in Ireland in the mid 1800’s.

Dr Eilísh O’Dea-Lyons, a past pupil of Drumcharley School, was extremely lucky to be able to acquire copies of some of the collection relating to Drumcharley and Glendree schools and she was delighted to have the honour of presenting specially bound copies to participants who are still alive and well in the local community. Those present to receive their copybook in person were Rita Nash who was part of the Drumcharley Collection and Bridie McNamara who was a pupil in Glendree School when this project was undertaken, relatives of others who could not be present were also presented with copies of their interviews. A presentation was also made to John O Halloran who transported the children for thirty five years from Drumcharley, Ugoon and Glandree into Tulla.

The final part of the celebration took place in Mingoue’s  Bar in Tulla where everyone relaxed and enjoyed a night of music, song and dance. Don Purcell and Cyril Hogan performed a wonderful rendition of the  “Oh The Day’s of the Glendree Dances”  Past pupils and their children provided the music and dance and the midnight oil was truly burned. This was an occasion which no one wanted to come to an end, a truly wonderful, enjoyable trip down memory lane.