Daniel O'Connell Heritage Trail Stop 10

In the early 19th century Daniel O'Connell was very conscious of the need to educate the people of South Kerry and so he bought a rectors lodge in Bank Street. He invited nuns from the Presentation Order to come and set up a school to help eradicate the high rate of illiteracy that existed in the area. On October 20th 1840 Sr. Mary Joseph O'Mahony, a cousin of O'Connell and daughter of O'Mahony who resided in Castlequin, arrived for school on the first day. The 3 R's were taught on the curriculum and handicrafts such as needlework and lace making were introduced. During the famine the school was closed (1845-1848) and the sisters opened a soup kitchen to help the needy of the area. The famine also had its effects on the Presentation Community and 8 nuns died before reaching the age of 40. Plague and starvation made inroads into the young Presentation sisters. In 1854 the school introduced industrial employment to the curriculum, especially lace making and orders came in from America, England and France. Sr. Clare Duffy arrived in 1855 and she organised the industrial school which became known a[s] the 'Factory'. It continued to operate until the 1940's. The sisters purchased the site of the old Munster and Leinster bank on the opposite side of the road and with the advent of free education a new secondary school was built in 1964



at the cost of £25,000. With increasing numbers an extension was added in 1982 costing £480,000. Following the amalgamation of the post primary school in 1999 the Presentation sisters left post primary education. In 2004 a lay principal was appointed to the primary school. After 164 years, the Presentation sisters were no longer involved in education in South Kerry.
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Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty
O'Connell Memorial Church
War Memorial
The Barracks Heritage Centre
Railway and O'Connell
The Railway
Sive Fort
Primrose Walk
O'Connell's Birth Place
The Daniel O'Connell Memorial Park

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