After 1798

Very little is known of the earliest history of the school. After the 1798 Rebellion, Earl Fitzwilliam of the Coolattin Estate initiated social changes to coalesce a divided community across south-west Wicklow by promoting school reforms in order to encourage children away from tribalism. This failed with much protest from various church and community leaders on all sides. Earliest recordings of education in the parish are found in the Folklore Commission of the 1930s.

Early 19th Century

The following is an extract from a 1935 interview with Knockatomcoyle resident Thomas Donnelly, aged 65 at the time, which gives an insight into life and education in the Parish at the time. During the interview he said: “There was a 'hedge' school in a little house near Driver's gate of Knockatomcoyle. The teacher was Nancy Leary. She had 33 three-legged stools for her scholars and it was there all the old people of the whole district got their education. She was a first rate scholar. My father went to school with her. Nancy was a sore teacher; she had an injured thumb with a thick long nail and her usual punishment was to stick the nail into the scholar's ear. The 1839 Fitzwilliam Estate Rentals indeed highlight Anne Leary of Knockatomcoyle being a schoolmistress, aged 60 years.

1827

With the end of the Penal Laws and the Emancipation of Roman Catholics in the late 1820s, a change occurred across the Catholic community of the Coolattin Estate and the Parish of Clonmore respectively. A new two story building was constructed and opened in 1827. By 1833, the adjoining land was further donated by Fitzwilliam to allow construction of St Mary’s Church, under the directorship of Fr Philip Healy. Local craftsmen built these buildings including the Murphys and Hanleys.

1837

The first recorded teacher of Ballyconnell N.S. was John Barrington, who resided at Killabeg. Barrington was born in 1790.

In 1837, Kilquiggan N.S. was inaugurated to serve the children of the southern townlands of Clonmore Parish. Catherine McGrath of Killabeg is recorded in the 1839 Fitzwilliam Tenant Records as a Schoolmistress. The old school, situated in “The Harbour” of Kilquiggan was closed in the early 1960s and a new school was constructed by Fr. McDonald beside St Finian’s Church in Kilquiggan. The “new” school eventually closed in the early 2000s and amalgamated with Ballyconnell N.S.

1866

In 1866, Thomas Barrett of Ballyconnell is recorded as Schoolteacher on the birth registration of his son Patrick Barrett.

The 1901 Census of Ireland records Limerick native, Michael Creagh (1848-1909) and Monica Roche, from Co. Carlow, being the school teachers based at Ballyconnell at the beginning of the 20th Century. They were replaced by James Patrick McCarthy (1880-1948) and Cork native, Mary O’Connell.

1950s

The layout of the school was quite conservative. The school, being two stories, accommodated two classrooms. The upstairs classroom was for the older children whilst downstairs accommodated junior age levels. By the 1950s-60s, Mrs. Brennan, who resided in the schoolhouse for a while, and Mrs. Losty were teachers at Ballyconnell N.S.

1967

In 1967-68, the new school was built. John Fleming, a Kerry native, became the first principal of the new school. This section was where the junior and senior infants classrooms are today. In 1972, the school was demolished and the stone buried in local farmyards. By 1974, the school in Clonmore was closed and Seamus Kavanagh joined the ranks of teachers at Ballyconnell, which included Mary Jackman (neé Sullivan), Mary Candy & Seamus’ wife, Mary Kavanagh, with John Fleming holding the position of principal until his retirement in June 1999.

Early 1980s

In the early 1980s, extensions were added as the student population grew.

The mass path, the traditional right of way for Killinure parishioners to attend Ballyconnell Church was also used by schoolchildren until buses became fully customary.

1997

Further extension added in 1997.

Today

St Mary’s N.S. is a co-educational Catholic primary school, serving the people in the parish of Clonmore under the patronage of the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, Bishop Denis Nulty.