INDEX PART 1

Carlow County - Ireland Genealogical Projects (IGP TM)


Christian Brothers School

Part 2
Sources: Carloman / W. Muldowney. / Michael Cradden Jnr,
Carlow Now & Then, Summer 1998 & Carlow in Old Postcards Vol. 2 by Michael Purcell

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Old CBS Secondary School
Image by W. Muldowney c2006
Christian Brothers Secondary School,
Carlow
Click on all images to enlarge!
The Bishop Foley Primary School
     

The Bishop Foley Primary School was open in 1938. This Slógagh award winning picture was taken by Rory Og Mórãn. The school was run by the Christian Brother religious community.

This school has gone through many name changes over the years namely: "Bishop Foley Primary School"; "Christian Brother's School"; "Christian Brother's Secondary School";  "The Academy"; "St. Mary's Academy C.B.S".  I hope the following will make the story of the CBS a bit more clear.

The Christian Brother's - A Short History

by 'Carloman'

The Christian Brothers came to Carlow in about 1859 and were based originally at no: 2 Montgomery Street. I guess that the old school in College Street was originally a primary school, the distinction between primary and secondary was perhaps not defined then.

Growing up in Carlow in the 1950s boys went to St. Joseph's school which was an old 4 roomed building with the dry toilets near the railway station on St Joseph's Road and then you would progressed to the Christian Brothers school (built c1936) around the corner on Railway Road, "The Bishop Foley National School".

If they went on to second level education they had a choice:

A - The Christian Brother's Secondary School in College Street to do Intermediate and Leaving Cert courses and examinations, three years to intermediate and then two years to Leaving (no gap years back then). This school was always referred to as "The Academy".

B - The Technical School referred to as the "The Tech". This was run by the "County Carlow Vocational Education Committee" (The VEC). The tech "headquarters" were in the old Assembly Rooms in Dublin Street, the Metalwork and Woodwork shops were at the rear ground floor and the secretarial and domestic science kitchens were on the first floor together with some admin offices. Classes were also held in 'The Irish National Foresters Hall', College Street. The CYMS, College Street, Carlow Boat Club. This was a two year course culminating with the Group Certificate of Examination. This exam was essential if one wanted to become and apprentice to a trade.

In 1963 the new two story Secondary school opened next to the Bishop Foley School. I think that's when St. Mary's the Academy came into vogue. I hope to be in Carlow this weekend and will check, I think the plaque on the school on Railway Road reads St Mary's Academy.

When the brother's moved from College Street to the new School the Technical school moved into the College Street premises. I had the distinction of starting my secondary education in the old College Street School with the Brothers, moving to the new School on Railway Road. The Tech classes were still spread out over the above mentioned premises until the new building was opened on Kilkenny Road next to the Regional College, Carlow's first secular third level institution, now called the Carlow I.T. It was for a while called the Austin Waldron College after a former chairman of the VEC.

How or why they missed the opportunity to call it the John Tyndall College beats me, its too late now as one of the foremost new institutions of learning based in Cork City is called the Tyndall National Institute. http://www.tyndall.ie/

'Carloman' March 2007


St. Mary's Academy C.B.S: http://www.cbscarlow.net/
Carlow Vocational School ("The Tech"): http://homepage.eircom.net:80/~carvoc/
Institute of Technology, Carlow: http://www.itcarlow.ie/

Christian Brothers pose with two past pupils. The Brothers took great pride in the achievements of their past pupils. Today, due to the drop in vocations, the Bishop Foley school is staffed entirely by lay teachers. Pictured here are, standing left to right: Brother PC. Lenihan, Br. PC. Tracy, Br. O. Kenny, Br. E. Rodgers and Br. D. O’Neill. Front row: Fr. Finn, Brother K. Moore and Fr. Johnson.

Above is an image of a receipt (Curtsey of Carloman) for £6.00 fee for a half term.  I discovered later that if you claimed you were "the poor mouth" to the right brother would get you in for free in the first year.

This receipt (Curtsey of Carloman)  was issued by the Technical School (Carlow Vocational School) and the fee of £1-10s was for a full term.

The initials are those of Pat O'Mahony, Principle.

In the words of Mr Swan the CBS Gardner / grounds man, this student "reneged on us" by switching from the Academy to the "Tech".



    Carlow CBS 1940. (Juveniles)
    Winners of the Co-Championships in 1940.
    Standing: R. Sheppard, N. Murphy, Y. Slater, S. Barlow, R. Curran, M Halligan, P. Cronin,
    Seated: J. Keyes, N. Cronin, G. D’Gfton?  (capt.) P. Doyle, S. Quigley,
    On Ground: C. Shawe,  P. Connolly,  E. McKella, J. Byrne.
    Source: ebay seller.
    C.B.S. 1940
(Back - L. to R.) E. O’Flaherty, N. Murphy, P. Cronin, F. Slater, S. McHugh, M. Power, L. O’Donoghue.
(Centre - L. to R.) M. Cullen, S. Byrne, M. Halligan, M. Cronin, S. Corish, P. Doyle.
(Front - L. to R.) V. McCullagh, T. Duffy, T. Shaw.
Source: Carlow Now & Then Summer 1998

    • Class of '43
      Source: Carloman & Michael Purcell
      from: CBS Golden Jubilee Journal 1936-1986.

    Carlow CBS Confirmation Class of 1945 - Ring 'V'
    Back row L to R: Jack Dundon, Jim Kelly, Paddy Condron, Ted MacLoughlin, Oliver Ellis, Brendan O'Brien.
    Middle row L to R: Tom Corcoran, P Mulhall, Tom Connors, Michael Flynn, ? ?????, Declan O'Hanlon, Aiden Ellis.
    Front row L to R: Oliver Snoddy, Sean McAssey, Aiden Power, ? Doyle, Mike Cradden jur, Seamus McGrath, Godfrey McDonald, Emmet McElhatton

    To best of my knowledge names are correct as far as I can remember perhaps someone may be able to fill in the gaps.

    Curtsey of Michael Cradden Jnr - Feb 2007.



    Mr. Tom Walshe's Confirmation Class of 1945.

    Third boy from the left is James Curran born 1935 son of Paddy Curran, Paddy worked at Thompsons and his other Son Martin work at the Cinema.
    Source: CBS Golden Jubilee Journal 1936-1986.

Thanks to Liam doc Kelly for this picture from 1983 of sixth class in the Christian brothers School on Station Road, some great memories of the school, thanks Liam

The picture was taken following a local history talk that I (Mark Lacey) gave to the school class in 1983., (year given by Mark Lacey)....we then had a competition for the students to write about the talk content...they are holding their submissions / compositions for which each received an award.

In this photo: C. Whelan., M. Purcell, David Dermody?, Kevin McHugh, Ciaran Cawley, Joe Nolan?, Barry Welsh, Barry Broderick, Vincent White, Alan Fagan, O. Seeley C.C.C., Liam 'Doc' Kelly.
Middle row: David Hutton, Thomas Kennedy, Kieran Cawley, Liam Whelan, Joe Curran, John Corcoran, Paul Thomas Galbally, James Murphy, Dermot Kinsella, Mogue Carpenter, Mark Lacey,
Front row: Peter Lyons (kneeling), Francis Lacey,  Alan Travers, ___? ___? John Reynolds, P.J. Purcell, John Ralph, Frank Mannion, Alan Duggan, Ken Nolan.

Source of image: Ken Nolan (Facebook)


Christian Brothers Carlow
No further information or date available.

TREACY, PATRICK AMBROSE (1834-1912), Catholic educationist, was born on 31 August 1834 at Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland. Educated at an academy and the local Christian Brothers' school at Thurles, he excelled in mathematics. In February 1852 he joined the Congregation of Christian Brothers, Waterford. After eight years of teaching at Wexford schools he became headmaster of the Christian Brothers' schools at Carlow. Showing administrative skill he achieved high teaching efficiency and improved school buildings and equipment. Read his Bibliography


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