School: Cooleenbridge, Scariff
- Location:
- Poulagower, Co. Clare
- Teacher: T. Mac Seóín
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0592, Page 024
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- XML Page 024
- XML “Comer's School”
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- Comer's School
More than half a century ago there was a National School in the parish of Scariff. It was situated between Coolagoree cross and Jimmy Doyle's house in a field which is presently in possession of Mr Guilfoyle. It was taught by a man called Mr Comer and that is why the school is called Comer's School. It was a low thatched house with a clay floor and as it was built in a wet place the water was continually pumping up through the floor in the winter and to take away the surplus water, a drain n had to be made. Before Mr Comer came to Coolagoree he was teaching in a hedge school in Poulagower in a field belonging to the Minogue's. When we cam to Coolagoree he lived in a house near Laccaroe cross and after that he went to live in a house in Mr Rohan's field. There was about fifty scholars attending Comer's school and they were taught English, History. Geography, Arithmetic and Catechism on Fridays when the Scariff priest came to teach them. They were taught no Irish in the school which shows that the Irish language has left the district for close to two hundred years..Mr Comer was married and his wife came to the school one day every week to teach the girls knitting and sewing. After a while they went to live in Derrymore and while they were there Mr Comer got a pension. Then they went to live in Scariff. They were not long there when Mr Comer's wife died. Then it is said that Mr Comer went to America.
Much is not known about the education which the scholars received in this school but it is thought that it was of the same kind as was received in other schools of its kind. History does not relate that any of these scholars ever held a high position at home or abroad(continues on next page)
