Loughwell National School, Laughil townland, Co.Galway
(dated mid-1950s)
NGR: 117846, 228891
May – Driving between Moycullen and Spiddal in Co. Galway: Loughwell is a townland of Moycullen in the Galway Connemara Gaeltacht. Loughwell school stands on the Moycullen Spiddal road there. The school house that stands there today dates to the mid-1950s, but replaced an earlier building that stood on the site. The earlier building is identified on the Second Edition Ordnance Survey sheet for the area:
The two-classroom school was constructed probably during the first decade of the 20th century. In the 1970s the small national school at Loughwell closed and was amalgamated with Scoil Mhuire in Moycullen when the new central school was built there and opened in 1979.
The image above shows the building that pre-dated the 1950s Loughwell School house (after Beo – Irish Digital Heritage). Below is the Second Edition Ordnance Survey sheet showing this original building on the same site:
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.
Disused School Houses - Home Page 
I might be able to help with some more info about the school. My grandfather helped build the school above in I believe 1958 .I also know that the older school still survives as my grandmother used to attend it in the early 20th century and is a couple of hundred meters away from the newer school.i hope this info may be of use!
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Hello Martin,
I believe that the original school building was almost next door. I’ve found a photo of it which I will add shortly. It’s great to get some personal memories of these places and thanks for getting in touch.
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My grandmother taught in Leam national school from about 1947 onwards. She lived in the residence next door with many of her 12 children. Do you have any photos of the interior?
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Thanks for sharing the info on Loughwell national school. I was born and raised in Loughwell and started school there at the age of six in 1971, Miss Green was my first teacher, a wonderful person, funny thing was she was a boarder in my parents house during the school week, not sure if remember her staying with us.
I believe Mr O’Malley was the head master at that time.
He was replaced
Mr Oliver Burke. A brut of a man RIP, he didn’t spare the cane.
Lots of great days there with Headmaster mr Higgins, a wonderful human being .
He had a great love for hurling and football and he worked with what he had, we got to the hurling and football finals in the parish and we beat the great Moycullen school. It was 7 aside and our full squad consisted of a total of 8 players.
My last year in Loughwell Mr higgins got three of us to go to tryouts for the Galway U-12 football, me and my younger brother Tomas Barrett and Eamonn Kyne.
I got selected to the team and had the great honor to play in Croke Park (hallowed Ground)
I believe I was the first Loughwell boy to play in Croke Park. All because of Mr Higgins. What a wonderful human being for all the time and effort he gave us young boys, what a class act.
As the years went by I got selected to play midfield for the Galway minors in 1983 ( my leaving cert year)
And won a Connaught medal and a second visit to the hallowed ground once more to play Derry in an All Ireland semifinal, unfortunately we lost by two points that day. I went on to play for the under 21 team and a run on the ‘85 senior league team.
Immigrated to Australia’87 for 8 years and currently live in Boston since ‘94.
Loughwell school was a wonderful experience and I’m still friends will a lot of the old gang.
Sorry for the rant , but when I saw your post about Loughwell school l just had to respond.
Martin Barrett , Loughwell, Moycullen, Co Galway.
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