Outside staircase of Arles school leading to the upstairs classroom.

The old school which was built in 1856 and remained as a school until 1960. Photo taken 1999.

The New Arles School opened in 1951 Photo take in 1967 by W. Muldowney.

Arles National School c.1956. The school was built in 1856 .(Note Elm tree which has now gone!)

Brief notes on Arles National School:

The new Arles National School built a few hundred yards south of the church on the Ballickmoyler Road and was opened and blessed by Monsignor Conway in June 1961. It replaced the old school which was built in the church grounds. The first pupils in the new school moved from the old school on 1st September 1961.

Between 1960 and 1989 the old school remained empty and became a tumble-down ramshackle of a building. In 1989 all that changed and the building was transformed into being a modern centrally heated community centre for the region and is now known as the Arles Community Centre.

Fr. Killian became PP of Arles in 1931 on the death of Fr Farrell and improved conditions at the Arles National School very quickly, We all had a warmer building and a hot drink of Coco was served at 12 noon every day. The cost was 1d (One Penny) per week for each child. Mr & Mrs Whelan were the school teachers at the time and were not always pleased with the extra work they had to endure each day. In 1932 all the children in the school at roll call had to shout their names in Irish and the master had to write them down in Irish in the roll book.

When I (Michael Brennan) attended school at Arles (1952-1959) our Parish Priest was Albert G Byrne and there is a reference to him in the book ''Gravestone Inscriptions" Killeshin, Sleaty, Graiguecullen, Mayo, Arles, Doonane, Castletown, Rathaspick, Shrule, Rathnure etc with historical notes. 1997. by Paul Redmond N.T.

Also we didn't receive any Coco at 12 noon each day.  If you didn't live near the school and couldnt go home for lunch you brought sandwiches in a brown paper bag and you sat in the graveyard to have your lunch. 

Arles National School c.1948

(Click on photo to enlarge)

This photo kindly donated by William Muldowney.

It has recently come to our notice that a number of peoples names are

missing from the newspaper cutting. One of those persons

is my first cousin Patricia (Kitty) Brennan which I have now added to the list below.

 I have also noticed that there are no Moran's mentioned and I am sure there are others.

Front Left to Right: F. McCarthy, Harry Jeffares, Gerry. Kealy, Tom Farrell, G. Fennell, John Bolger, Johnnie Lawler, Jim Kehoe, P. Farrell, Abban Farrell, Mick Shea R.I.P.,

2nd Row: Paddy Lawler, Christy Miller, Paddy Bracken, Richard Kehoe, Paul Bracken, Tom Jeffers, Anthony McCarty, Peadar Byrne, Michael Fenlon, John Fitzpatrick, Jimmy Fitzpatrick, George Dunne, M. Brown, Nancy Dunne.

3rd Row: John McCaffrey, Mary McCaffrey, Michael Byrne, Ann McCaffrey, Eileen Wall, Maura Byrne, Mary O’Brien, Lil O’Brien, Ann O’Brien, Agnes O’Brien, Collette Wall, Collette Whelan, Mary Doran, Patricia (Kitty) Brennan. (Cooper Hill).

4th Row: Annie Byrne, Maureen Wynne, Alice Kealy, Kathleen Kehoe, Agnes Kelly (Gurteen), Katie Miller, Bridie Kealy, Julia Fitzpatrick, Lizzie Muldowney, Kitty Keane, Kathleen Farrell.

Back Row: Nancy Bolger, Jenny Kealy, Margaret Wall, Peggy Wall, (Maidenhead), Judy Miller, Ena Wynne, M. Kehoe (Arles), Angela Byrne, Carrie Jeffers, Ruby Jeffers.

Arles NS Pupils c.1957/58

A school photo of Arles Pupils c.1957/58 submitted by Nora O'Keeffe Sept 2010

(Click on photo to enlarge)

 

Back row: Nora MacDarby, Mary Farrell, Nora Quinn, Carmel Dillon, Patricia Nash, Mary Deegan, Eileen Murphy, Elizabeth Myron R.I.P.

Middle: two girls Rena MacDarby, Catherine Keightley.

Second row: Peter Bracken, Joe Byrne, Michael Brennan, John Dolan, Paddy Kennedy, Michael Bolton, Frank Farrell.

Front row: Seamus Nash, Frank Byrne, Sean Brennan, Seamus Byrne, Gerry Delaney, John Joe Morrissey, Paddy Nolan R.I.P.

Front: Larry Wall holding Leslie Taylor.

 

Source of image & names Nora O'Keeffe Sept 2010 & Eileen Culleton 2015

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Arles School Outing to Dublin c.1962-63

The above picture is of the Arles School outing.

(Click on photo to enlarge)

(Source: F & R. Farrell , Luton.)

The picture was taken on top of the Independent House in Dublin some time in 1962-63?

Back Row Left to Right;

Peter Byrne, Peter Bracken, Seamus Nash, Sheila Nash, Margaret Cooney, Frank Byrne, Eleanor Dolan, Mary Farrell (Strand), Elizabeth Myron, Frank Farrell, Tessie Kennedy. Betty Noctor, Jim Harney (Teacher), Jim Miller, Michael Bolton, Pat Keightly.

Middle Row Left to Right;

Tony Kennedy, Breda Doogue, Breda Nash, Betty Cooney, Claire Brennan (no relation), Sadie Conway, Breda Byrne, Margaret Miller, Mary McDonald, Mary Keightly. Young man at the end... ...Flemming?

Front Row Left to Right;

Michael Boran, Liam Myron, Catherine Mulhall, Concepta Conway, Noleen Byrne, Carmel Dillon, Betty Keightly, Ann Farrell, Noreen Byrne, Eileen McDonald, John McDonal.

(Tommy Kennedy is also in the picture somewhere.)