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The first national school in Kinlough was opened on 30th December 1847. Edenville National School (Roll No. 5212) got its name from the townland in which it was situated. The first school had a thatched roof and mud floors. In 1866 it was replaced by a better building with a slated roof. The single-roomed school had 2 teachers and up to 100 pupils on roll, though, since school attendance was not compulsory in those days, daily attendance was only 40 - 50. The old school, with its outdoor toilets, turf fires and muddy yard, served the village for 74 years.

In 1940 a new two-room school was built and named the Four Masters School. With a classroom for each of the 2 teachers, cloakrooms and a hard-surface playground the new school (roll no. 17143) was a great improvement and continued in operation until 1985 when it was replaced by our current school. Today we have 6 classrooms, staffroom, gym, kitchen, office, stores and football/basketball areas - a far cry indeed from the first Kinlough school. How education in the area has developed over the last 150 years!

One sad development this century has been the decline of the small rural schools. Four Masters School now caters for pupils from eight areas which formerly had one/two teacher schools:

Buckode National School (closed 1970); Askill National School: (closed 1972); Ahanlish National School (closed 1998); Tullaghan National School (closed 1998); Uragh National School (closed 1970); Proughlish National School (closed 1964) Loughmarron National School (closed 1967); Tawly National School (closed 1898).
 
 

Principal Teachers
John McGowan (1847 - 1866)
Patrick Connolly (1866 - 1901)
Francis Connolly (1901 - 1913)
Daniel Judge (1913 - 1944)
Maurice Fitzgerald (1944 - 1974)
Thomas Feeley (1974 -      ) 

 
Staff Members
Mary McGowan (1850 - 1866)
Catherine McGowan (1866 -1905)
Catherine McKeon (1905 - 1945)
Maura Mullarkey (1945 - 1976)
Marie Gilmartin (1972 - 1977)
Nuala Walsh (1978 - 1980)
Máire White (1976 - 1994)
Kathleen Fahey (1977 -   )
Una Regan (1981 -   )
Gerardine Gallagher (1994 -  )
Rita Fergus (1998 - 1999 )
Stephen Connolly (1998 -  )
Eileen Lynch (1999 -   )
    

 
Chairpersons and Managers
Rev. Hugh O'Reilly (1847 - 1857)
Rev. John Maguire (1857 - 1866)
Rev. Michael Clancy (1866 - 1867)
Rev. John O'Connor (1867 - 1871)
Rev. Bernard Sheridan (1871 - 1914)
Rev. Francis Brennan (1914 - 1932)
Rev. Michael Dolan (1932 - 1951)
Rev. John Dolan (1951 - 1969)
Rev. Francis Brennan (1969 - 1976)
 Rev. Augustine Leaden (1976 - 1985)
Rev. Francis Kelleher (1985 - 1998)
Rev. Thomas Keogan (1998 -  )