Before the old Court school was built
in 1887 and opened in 1888, there had been a Catholic National
school serving Monamaolin for over 50 years.
Samuel Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland"
was published in 1837 and quoted below is his clear reference to a
Catholic Church and School.
"In
the R.C. division the parish is partly in the union or district of
Monageer, but chiefly in that of Litter; the chapel is at
Monomolin. About 30 children are educated at the parochial school,
which was established a few years since by the incumbent and is
partly supported by subscription; the master has the school house
and an acre of land rent free."
"The History of the Diocese of Ferns" written by W.H. Grattan-Flood
and published in 1916 cites a Fr. Walter Sinnott being appointed
curate to the Parish of Litter in 1834 and building a church in
Monamolin. Seeing as Lewis' book was published in 1837 it is fair
to surmise that the church in Monamolin dates to somewhere between
1834 and 1837.
As Lewis refers to a school house with an acre of land, it is
possible that it was the same Fr. Sinnott who established the
school house in and around the same time.
Griffith's General Valuation of Rateable
Property in Ireland was published in 1853 and he clearly places a
National School in Ballinvalley on land owned by a Rev. James
Sinnott. Interestingly the school is classed as a "house" for the
purpose of rates and it had a rateable value of £1 per annum but
as a school was exempt.
In 1863 a Wexford man named Thomas Lacy
published a massive book with the flowery title "Sights and Scenes
in the Fatherland" and he had to say the following about
Monamolin.....
|
"Proceeding by this
line of road to Wexford, the tourist will notice about two
miles from Ballycanew, the strikingly handsome village of
Monamolin, which stands amid rich plantations, on the side
of a gentle eminence, on the northern side of the road.
The Roman Catholic
Church , and the nice residence of the curate-this being an
out-chapel of the union of Litter-together with the National
School, form an interesting group; while the Protestant
Church, a very handsome structure in the later English style
of architecture, with its pinacled and embattled tower, and
the neat residence of the clergyman, present features of an
exceedingly pleasing and picturesque character.
The houses in
Monamolin though low in number are remarkable for their
cleanliness and apparent comfort; the whole presenting such
a specimen of rural happiness as can bear a comparison with
many of the pictures of home felicity that are drawn by
those who look upon the agricultural districts of the sister
country as models of unqualified admiration." |
In 1885 Bassett's "Wexford Borough Guide and
Directory" gave the following information about Monamolin...
