Staff Margaret Carley (Principal) Evelyn Reynolds (Assistant) Mary Higgins (Learning Support.)
This is a small two-teacher rural primary school in north Roscommon, near the Leitrim border. The Shannon River is close by. It is situated in the parish of Aughrim\Kilmore, two miles the Carrick-on-Shannon side of Kilmore village. This school, which replaces the old Kilmore and Kilbride schools, is officially known as St. Brigid's, Kilmore, although it is built in Dangan.
It opened on 1st October 1948. The enrolment on that day was 36 Boys and 34 Girls. The present enrolment is 30, 14 Boys and 16 Girls. All modern facilities are available in comfortable and spacious surroundings. A full range of subjects is provided which includes information technology. There has always has been a strong emphasis on traditional and cultural activities as well as sport. The large area of lawn includes a football and basketball area. An annual Sports Day is held in June. Gaelic and Soccer coaching is provided. Monsignor McGuinness looks after the religious needs of the pupils. He lives in the presbytery at Dangan Church. The Community Centre is next door to the school. Indoor coaching is held there sometimes. Flynn's Shop is nearby.
The present Board Of Management is
Teachers
Memorable Dates
Granny's School Days
My Granny's name is Mary Cummins. She went to school in Drumsna. Maggie Mc Niff brought her to school. They used to walk bare foot from the 1st of May. The school time was nine o'clock till three o'clock. They had summer holidays for only three weeks. There was no school on Saturday. She would bring bread, jam, cheese and milk for lunch. The school desks had ink well in it. There was only one toilet. There had headline copies for writing. You had to turn in the nib when finished with the pen. She liked mental maths, tables and Irish. She didn't like Geography. The inspector used to come but he would not tell them when he was coming. After Communion they went to the Convent in Mount Campbell in Charlestown Co. Mayo. They got hot milk and biscuits as a treat. They could only see nuns through grids. Mr. Masterson was her teacher. She liked to play jackstones, tig and hide and go seek. She was twelve years old when she finished. I don't think I'd like to attend Granny's school. She didn't have all the comforts we have.
Mammy's School Days.
My Mam's name is Ann Sheridan. She went to school in Dangan N.S. The teachers were Mrs. Ffrench and Master Cook. They had good times at school. There was an open fire in the big room and a range in Mrs. Ffrench's room. Her Daddy used to bring loads of sticks and they had to put them into the shed. She missed lots of classes. She learned Irish, English, Mathematics, Religion, Geography, History and also how to knit and sew and make centrepieces out of wool. Ann Gannon, Margaret Redican, Billy Notley, Bernard Donohue and Micheal P. Fitzsimons were all in her class. She made her Communion in Dangan and her Confirmation in Aughrim. The Bishop was Dominic Conway. They didn't have many books or copies. One or two copies covered most subjects. Their school bags were much smaller and lighter than now. Their summer holidays began at the end of July and ended on September 1st.
A Great Win
We got news of the Credit Union Quiz a few weeks beforehand. We entered it every year. The teacher organised our two teams. We were practising a lot for the quiz in school and at home.Sometimes we had to look them up in the encyclopedia. The quiz took place in the Bush Hotel. The questions were quite hard. We won. I was very glad and so were the rest of the team. We got prizes after the quiz.
Our School.
Our school was built in 1948 and it is fifty-two years old. It is called St. Brigids National School. It is located in Dangan, Kilmore. The nearest shop to the school is P. Flynn's shop. It is down the road from the school. There was a re-union in 1998. The President, Mary McAleese, visited the school .The school is cream coloured trimmed with white. It has two classrooms. It has white double-glazed P.V.C. windows. It has two PVC doors on the outside but it has timber doors on the inside. The teachers are Mrs. Carley and Mrs. Reynolds. They are very good teachers .A remedial teacher comes to the school every Monday and Wednesday. Her name is Mrs. Higgins. There is a Community centre right beside the school. There is no school bus. We normally go to Carrigallen to the theatre every year. The school used to have a fire but it was closed up. The school has two T.V.s and two video recorders. The school also has four computers in the senior room and three in the junior room. It has three printers and one scanner. The internet is available to students
The President's visit.
The school re-union was held in the year 1998. Our school was fifty years old. The most exciting news we got in Dangan school was the day a letter came saying that the President had accepted the teachers' invitation to visit our school. The teacher invited the President to join the re-union celebrations. She was not free in August so she decided to pay us a visit on the fourteenth of March, which was a Saturday but we didn't mind that. We started preparing at once .We decorated the classroom with posters and decorations. Our parents organised a clean up. Mrs. Carley wrote a special song for the day. A large crowd arrived outside but we had to remain in the classroom. We were all very nervous because we never met someone so important before in our lives. John Casey from Shannonside Radio recorded our music. Mrs. McAleese arrived and the crowd outside welcomed her. Then she came into the classroom and shook hands and chatted with us. Then we went into the Junior room and we played music, sang and danced for her. We went outside and got our photo taken with her. We then walked down to the Community centre where refreshments were served. Some people made speeches. The Board of Management presented her with gifts. It was a great occasion for everyone connected with our school and I shall always treasure the memories. I was lucky to be a part of it.
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