Garrycloher National School, Clonmore South townland, Tipperary South

(dated c.1840)

NGR: 202737, 122441

This is a typical example of a particularly attractive 19th-century rural school building. The entrance doorways on either side of the projecting entrance gave separate access to boys and girls. The masonry is of good quality and the windows, though renewed, echo the former type. Like so many such schools, this building served a functional role but would also have been a focal point for the surrounding hinterland.

The building comprises a detached T-plan gable-fronted single-storey school, built c.1840, with recent extension to rear. It has a hipped slate roof with rendered chimneystack and cast-iron rainwater goods. The walls are constructed of dressed limestone except to the rear rear,which comprises coursed rubble with dressed limestone quoins. The surrounding boundary wall includes a wrought-iron double-leaf gate set to dressed limestone gate piers with caps.

Immediately adjacent to the school is the former schoolmaster’s house. It of similar construction to the school house with an attractive pointed brickwork window ope. At the time of the 1901 census in Ireland, 21 families lived in the townland of Clonmore South. An extract from this census, and an extract from the Second Edition Ordnance Survey which took place in the closing years of the of the 19th century are shown below:

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.