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THE OLD CHURCH
In 1827 when the old church of St. Brigid was built in Portumna at the Behest of the Countess of Clanricarde, Licmolasse as a parish ceased to exist. The dominicans retired to Boula and Dean Galvin, the first diocesan priest to be appointed to the area, became parish priest of Portumna. In 1832 Dean Galvin had the church at Gortnacooheen built to serve, what now became the Gortanummera area of the parish. Eventually a new church was built in 1936, and now the old church lies in ruins.
Conor.
My Great-Great-Grandfather.
My great-great-grandfather was William Bulfin. He travelled around Ireland on his bike. He wrote the book "Rambells In Eireann." This book is very famous. He was cycling one night in the rain and he caught asthma and he died soon after. He was a very popular character around the countryside.
Alvy
The largest river in
Ireland or the British Isle’s is the River Shannon. The Shannon begins in the Cuilcagh Mountains in Co. Cavan and it is known as the Shannon Pot. The river Shannon flows through three lakes, L. Allen, L. Ree and L. Derg. Lough Allen is in Co. Cavan, Lough Ree is in Co. Longford and Lough Derg is in Co. Galway. It flows southwest for about 370 kilometers to the Atlantic Ocean. At Limerick City, about 110 kilometers from the mouth of the Shannon the river widens. Ocean tides occur in this wide section on witch there are ports at Limerick and Foynes. The Shannon flows mainly through gently sloping farmland and scattered peat bogs. It often floods surrounding land. Irelands largest river hydroelectric plant was built on the Shannon at Ardnacrusha near Limerick in the 1920’s. The Grand Canal and The Royal Canal built in the late1700’s and early 1800’s links the river with Dublin on Irelands East Coast. A canal network reopened in 1994 links the Shannon with Upper Lough Erne in Northern Ireland. The Shannon passes through Portumna, which is the closest town to our school. It is a great tourist attraction.Frank, Darren, and Martin.
GORTANUMMERA NATIONAL SCHOOL.
In 1831 the Chief Secretary of Ireland, Edward Stanley, introduced a system of National Education to cater for the masses of the Irish population.
At this time, according to folklore, at least two Hedge Schools were in operation locally–one in Gortanumera and one in Gurteenpadder. By 1840 the national schools had become predominantly Roman Catholic with the local parish priest acting as manager.
During the following twenty-five years, six schools were built in this area of Co. Galway. One of these schools was built in Gortanumera.
The historical records of Gortanumera National School are preserved in the National Archives.
Ulick De Burgh, 14thEarl of Clanrickarde provided the site of the school, for the nominal charge of one penny per annum. The two-roomed school was built at a cost of £170.00 and the furniture and fittings were installed at an additional sum of £32.13.4 making a total of £202.13.4. Funds were provided by the Board of Education together with a small local contribution Gortanummera National School opened for the first time on July 2nd 1862. A lady named Ms Hurley was the first principal/teacher and a Mr.Bohan was the assistant Teacher.
Following the division of the Clanrickarde lands early in the 20th Century the local population increased dramatically and as a result it became necessary to extend the school accommodation. To this end a third classroom was added on to the school sometime between 1930 and 1933. In the 1950’s a perimeter wall was built around the schoolyard and a playing field, on the opposite side of the road was acquired. A concrete wall also enclosed this field. In the 1970’s the old timber floors were replaced by concrete floors were covered with lino, the outdoor dry toilets were converted to flush toilets, central heating was installed and a sink and cold water taps were added in the hallway.
Apart from these additions nothing was done to change the appearance or structure of the original school building until the recent complete refurbishment took place in 1997.
[April ’97 to Feb.’98.]
Donna and Nicola.
The division of the Clanricarde property early in this century created an increase of population and a larger church was then needed. On the second Sunday of October, 1923, a meeting of the parishioners of Gortanummera was held after mass in the old church to consider the problem of finding additional room for the increasing population of this part of the parish of Lickmollassey. After the division of the Clanricarde property many new families settled in the town-lands near the building.
Conor and Aidan.
LOGAINMNEACHA (LOCAL PLACENAMES)
Gortanummera- field of hill ridge.
Gortnacooeen- field of the little cuckoo.
Drumscar- field of the sharp rocks.
Ballyshrule- sruth means a stream,the town of the stream.
Graigueagowan- of the gow or smith.
Cool- a back a corner or a recess.
Coolpora- the corner of the beans.
Coolnageera- back hill of the sheep.
Oliver.
Historical Background of the School
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