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CASTLEGARDEN SCHOOL
Marie HeskinCastlegarden school was situated opposite where the ballalley now stands, near the boundary line between Castlegarden and Kilfane.
The first teacher we know of was Mrs. Morrissey who lived opposite the forge in what is now Cahalane's house. Every morning she drove her donkey and trap to the school, taking some of the smaller scholars with her.
Castlegarden was a mixed school, with boys and girls of all ages attending. The firewood for the open fire was provided by the Power family of Kilfane House. On one of the walls hung a large map of the world with all areas of the British Empire marked in red. The pupils formed a circle around the map and the extent and greatness of the Empire was emphasised at great length. 'Britannia rules the waves' and 'The sun never sets on the British Empire' were the headlines in the copybooks. The use of any Gaelic words, placenames etc. was always discouraged.
Pupils who attended the school learned to read from a book called 'READING MADE EASY.' As there was never enough books to go around two pupils usually shared the same book. In time the book became known as 'REDAMADAISY.' In later years when discussing their ages they would say 'I know what age he/she is - we looked into the same REDAMADAISY'. Mrs. Morrissey died in 1892 on the birth of her thirteenth child. Her daughter Bridie was not quite ready to take over, and so a temporary teacher, Susan Bardon, was hired, and she lodged at Mrs. Barry's house in Stoneen.
Bridie Morrissey taught for some years in Castlegarden, but with the arrival of the nuns in Thomastown in 1891 numbers attending fell rapidly, and the school closed for lack of pupils.
Bridie Morrissey married Mr. Wall, son of the draper Tommie Wall of High St., Kilkenny, and went to live in Dublin. She became the mother of Mervyn Wall, the noted writer and broadcaster in Radio Eireann for many years.