Bawnboy and Templeport
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| TULLYBRACK NATIONAL SCHOOL
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A number of stories, mostly folklore, which appear in this book were collected by Frank Maguire, who for many years was a teacher in Tullybrack N.S. One of his predecessors as teacher in Tullybrack was John O'Hara, Corlough. John had been a hedge schoolmaster in the area before Tullybrack school was built. It was he who drew up the plans of the first Tullybrack school which was built in 1842. Mrs. O'Hara (no relation) from Lannanerriagh, was principal of Tullybrack N.S. from 1842-1850. At this time and later while teaching in Tullybrack, John lived in the townland of Corlough.
A few years ago I had a letter from Monica, a granddaughter of John O'Hara, who lives in England. She writes as follows 'I don't know much about my grandfather, John O'Hara. He was a hedge schoolmaster who died in 1880. He could teach Latin, Irish, English reading and writing, and Mathematics, and he was a missionary, too. Hundreds of adults on that Cavan mountain - Upper Corlough, could only speak the Irish language. They seldom or never went to school or church at that time. There was only a wooden hut for a church in Corlough. Grandfather saw to it that they were all baptized and he had classes for them. He had a lot to do with getting that church (Corlough) off the ground. There was no priests' house but a priest came to say Mass on Sunday, so grandfather was curate. I don't know half of it.
He also had a Sunday school. The priest who said Mass had breakfast with grandfather on Sundays. Then they discussed parish affairs and made arrangements for getting parish work done. Grandfather worked an eight-day week.
When the new Corlough church was built it had bare stone walls, a roof and a mud floor. The people were very poor, there was no money. My aunt was a young girl then. 'When you'd stand or kneel the dust would choke you' Aunt said. She often said Grandfather should have been a priest'.
I have seen the original lease for 999 years given by George Finlay, Esquire, J.P., Corville, Bawnboy, 1st part; The Commissioners of Education 2nd part, their Trustees, 3rd part, dated 12th December 1842, now in possession of Philip McGovern, Tullybrack, Corlough. The Trustees were Very Rev. Philip Magauran P.P., Springhill, Edward Reilly, Gubnagree and Patrick Magauran, Tullybrack all of the parish of Templeport.
Attached to the lease is a plan of the school and playground drawn up by John O'Hara, Surveyor, 7th October 1842. Area of school ground 2 roods 1 perch Irish Plantation Measure.
' And whereas there has been built and erected on the ground hereinafter mentioned and demised, a school-house for the Education of the Poor Children (male and female) in the Parish of Templeport aforesaid to be called Tullybrack N.S. …….. and the Commissioners of the said school directed that a sum of seventy four pounds three shillings and four pence sterling should be paid to the said Trustees….. together with another sum of fifty three pounds one shilling and eight pence raised by voluntary contributions or locally subscribed makes the sum of £127-5s, which last mentioned sum has been laid out and expended in the erection of said schoolhouse'.