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The first written record of school in the Mayobridge area is from the 1824 Report on Education, which mentions a `Hedge School’ in Aughnagun; Teacher: Charles Carr, salary about £5.0.0.  School: a cabin of the worst description, costing £3.0.0.  The Catholic return was 21 Catholics and 3 Protestants, 16 boys and 8 girls. The Protestant return was 18 Catholics and 4 Protestants, 12 boys and 10 girls.  Both versions of the Bible were read.

Also in Aughnagun was another school; Teacher: Terence McAleavey, salary £2.10.0, with house and 31/2 acres of land rent free.   School: a cabin (poor), costing £4.0.0.  Both Catholic and Protestant returns record 16 Catholics on the rolls, 10 boys and 6 girls.  Authorised Version of the Scriptures were read.  Roger Hall, of Narrow Water, had given land rent-free and tithe free.

In Croan, the teacher was Hugh Grant; his salary was £16.0.0.  The school was “a badly-thatched cabin,” costing about £3.0.0.  Both Catholic and Protestant returns record 41 Catholics, 10 Presbyterians and 2 others on rolls, 36 boys and 17 girls.

In Mayo, the teacher was Edward Grant; his salary was £12.0.0.  The school was a “wretched cabin,” costing about £3.0.0.  Catholic and Protestant return 37 Catholics 32 boys and 5 girls.  No Bible was read.

The Ordnance Survey Memoirs mention that, in 1834, there was in the townland of Ballydulaney: “One small school, average 40 scholars,” with a footnote: “The inhabitants would be very willing to send their children if they could get any encouragement from the government.”

The Ordnance Survey Memoirs of 1835 state that a National School was situated near Mayo Chapel (now the Parochial Hall).  It was a small slated cottage established by the National Board of Education in November 1832.  The income from the National Board was £10.0.0 per annum and one shilling per pupil. The books used were those furnished by The National Board and the moral education was such as allowed by the Board.

In September 1836, the attendance at Mayo School was 103 boys and 48 girls, the Master was Owen Fegan.

As far as is known, that building later became the band room for the Sacred Heart Flute Band and, later still, it became a dance hall and then a dinner hall.  Although these schools are the first we have written evidence about, there must have been other schools in the area long before that.

Dr. Anthony Garvey was a graduate from the University of Paris, so we may assume he got the foundation of his education at a hedge school.

According to the Report on the State of Popery in Dromore Diocese, submitted to the House of Lords in November 1731, “The papists of this county were of the lowest rank, yet papists they still are, under the unbounded guidance of their Priests who have their private and public meetings as they think proper.”  Dean Pulleine, who came from this area, wrote a catechism in Irish in the early 1700’s and The Imitation of Christ was translated from Latin to Irish in Drumnaquoile about 1762.  It is likely therefore that the Greek and Latin classics, and possibly continental languages, were being taught in humble cabins all round the country a hundred and more years before schools were officially known.

From 1832, up until the present school was built, the band room and, after 1862, the present parochial hall served as locations for Mayo National Schools. The condition of the band room especially, gave cause for concern.  An Inspection Report of 24th. April I911, after commenting on how the Girls’ School was run, stated “A new school house is badly needed”.  

In the early 1920s, Masters O’Hagan and McGlinchey had classes in the band room.  Pierce Fegan and later Sr. Mary Bonaventure taught in the Parochial Hall.  In 1912, the Inspectors’ report commented, regarding the Girls’ School, “Work is carried out in this school under unfavourable conditions, as the house is very old and hardly suitable…. The tone is fairly good and on the whole, the pupils are making fair progress. Needlework shows some improvement…. Equipment for manual instruction still inadequate.”

The 1914 report stated something similar.

In 1923 there were 120 children attending the schools in Mayobridge and there were plenty of complaints regarding the state of the buildings.  In September of that year Canon McGinnis wrote to Newry No. 1 Rural District Council stating that the schools were far from satisfactory and that he hoped to get work started soon on building a new school.

The new school was built, and officially opened on 20th. May 1927.  It took, therefore, nearly four years from inception until completion.  The plans were prepared by R.A. Smyth, Belfast, and the contractors were M/s Harding & Harding, Belfast. M/s Salmon & Cooke, assistant architects, supervised the construction work and P. McGivern, Warrenpoint, was Clerk of Works.

The Frontier Sentinel stated that the new building gave utmost satisfaction to Canon McAlister, (who had succeeded Canon McGinnis), the local curate Dr. O’Hare, the Poor Clare nuns, and Mr. P.D. McEvoy and Miss Marianne Flynn – the principals of the boys’ and girls’ schools.  The Bishop, Dr. Mulhern, and several visiting clergy processed from St. Patrick’s Church to the schools, with the schoolchildren singing hymns along the route.

The school remained unchanged until the late 1940s when a new toilet block was built outside.  In 1960, two new classrooms were built.  In 1984, the school was further enlarged to include an assembly/dining hall, two offices, a library, a play room and a large staff room, together with an extensive school meals’ kitchen.  There are three playgrounds and a playing field.  In May 2007 a new purpose built Foundation Stage block, courtesy of the DE Replacement Initiative, was built.  This was opened by the Minister for Education on 20th May 2007.

In Spring 2013 builders moved onsite to commence the Nursery conversion project.  The Nursery welcomed its first pupils in September 2013 and was officially opened by the Minister of Education, Mr John O’Dowd on 5th June 2014.

Work has commenced on the provision of triple mobile accommodation to facilitate the rapidly growing school population.  The Department of Education has recently approved a new off road parking scheme adjacent to the school, this is due to roll out in 2014/15.  Furthermore, it is anticipated additional playground space for the children will be made availability shortly.

Mayobridge has always been fortunate in the quality of the teaching staff attracted to the school.  Names like Masters Fegan, Master McGlinchey, Master O’Hagan, Miss Flynn, Master McEvoy, Mother Josephine, Mother Philomena, Mother Evangalista spring to mind.

The boys’ and girls’ schools were amalgamated about 1960.

The first roll comprised 151 pupils.  A century later, the number remained 150 approximately.  Now, 370 pupils are in attendance.  The Scheme of Education in the early part of the century placed great emphasis on Reading, Composition, History, Geography and Arithmetic.  For girls, needlework was an essential part of the school curriculum.  In 1920, the inspection report commented that the children had a good knowledge of a play by Shakespeare.  Miss Hogan taught Cookery, Laundry and Needlework. Master McEvoy introduced us to Algebra at school. He talked about foreign countries, describing life in Canada, the United States and Africa in his own unique way.  We looked forward to the singing lessons when he brought down the fiddle and we sang `An English Country Garden.’

Over the years the school has developed to keep up with changing times.  The present curriculum has evolved significantly to include Language and literacy, Mathematics and Numeracy, The World Around Us, The Arts, Religious Education, ICT, Personal Development and Mutual Understanding and Physical Education – a far cry from the early days.

Education in this small community has grown by leaps and bounds from its humble beginnings in Aughnagun, Ballydulaney, Croan and Mayo – where children and teachers huddled round a cold, dark thatched cabin – to the magnificent school we have today under the principal ship of Mrs Ryan.

Contact Details for St Patrick’s Primary School & St Patrick’s Nursery Unit, Mayobridge

Mrs Margaret Ryan, Principal, 9 Chapel Hill, Mayobridge, Newry, BT34 2EX

Telephone Number 028 3085 1294