Fr. Teddy, Mary Breen and Fifth Class
Today the school went to Mass in St. Columba’s Parish Church to celebrate the Feast of The Immaculate Conception. We come to school on December 8th. but go to Mass in the Parish Church. It was lovely to sit with the people of St. Columba’s Parish and pray with them. Fr. Teddy thanked us for singing during the Mass. The congregation gave us a round of applause for our singing.
Fifth Class in St. Columba’s Church
After the Mass, Mrs. Forsythe brought us around to the old St. Columba’s Girls’ School which is attached to the Church. It is now the Scout Hall. We met Mary Breen, (nee O’Donovan) who went to the old school. She was born in 1932 a year after the old school was opened.
She told us about how she walked to school, but some others came in a pony and trap.Every child had to bring a sod of turf or a lump of coal to school for the fire. There were four classes in the 1930’s. The Babies, Juniors, Middle Classes and Senior Classes. She said Miss Crotty was the Principal. She lived in the “Teacher’s Residence” which was in the tall house next to the old Boy’s School on the Carrigaline Road. She even remembered the excitement the day the Train Carriage arrived as an extra classroom. It was fantastic to meet such a nice past pupil of our school. We are going to look for her on the old rolla!
Mary Breen with fifth Class outside the Old School.