Kilcoona National School, Mausrevagh townland, Co. Galway

(dated early 20th century)

NGR: 130804, 244174

Kilcoona National School is situated in the townland of Mausrevagh in Co. Galway. The surrounding landscape comprises rolling improved farmland on shallow soils over limestone. Turloughs and other features of a karst landscape are common here, along with archaeological evidence for human settlement since at least the Bronze Age. During the Early Modern period the surrounding area supported a rural population, with the nearest significant town being Headford, about 5 km to the north. Travel between Headford and Galway City was by Kilcoona until the mid-19th century when the Curragh Line was constructed through the bog lands to the east of Lough Corrib.

The school building itself is a simple design, typical of late 19th and early 20th century school houses. It is a detached, eight-bay, single storey, two-roomed school house with a projecting entrance porch to the front, and probably dates to the late 19th or early 20th century. It has not been in use as a school building since the late 1980s but remains in a fair state of preservation. It is currently being used for storage.

It has a pitched roof with rendered walls. The entrance retains the original door though many of the fixtures and fittings (many of which appear to have been original) inside the building have been vandalised and destroyed. As with the majority of schools dating to this time, each classroom has an open fireplace. The chimney is centrally located in the building.

Sadly, a number of the window frames have been robbed-out, and continued exposure to the elements will undoubtedly result in the deterioration of the condition of the building. The front schoolyard is still relatively clear of weeds and bushes. To the rear of the building stand the original toilet blocks though they have largely collapsed.

If you or someone you know attended this national school, please do get in touch and share any stories, anecdotes, photographs, or any other memories you may have.