All set for Rathcormac school reunion this weekend
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The road to Rathcormac could be retitled 'Memory Lane' this weekend as generations of former school pupils prepare to make the trip back in time.
The event started out as a simple school reunion as it was decided the time was right with the school built in 1948 giving way this year to a brand new school across the road. But, such was the interest demonstrated, that it has blossomed into a weekend-long affair which is also doubling as a Gathering event.
The organising committee has put together a programme that offers locals and visitors of every age something to enjoy. There's a very limited number of tickets available for the concert in the church on Friday night so anyone who doesn't want to miss out is advised to get theirs as soon as possible. The reunion dinner at 7pm in Corrin Event Centre on Saturday night is also proving a big draw with again only a small number of tickets left.
The pageant that's planned, a re-enactment of the inquest into the Gortroe Massacre being staged by the Shanowen Players under the direction of Valerie O'Leary, also promises to be an entertaining event. There'll also be a history tour on the Saturday and a photographic exhibition, 'Reeling in the Years' exhibition and local artists exhibition will run in the school over the weekend. On Sunday there'll be a special reunion Mass in the church at 2pm and that'll be followed by a Family Fun Day on the village green.
Dusting off schoolday memories this week ahead of the event, local historian and author Tom Barry recalled the momentous day in 1949 when the principal of the school built in 1835 marched pupils up through the village to their brand new school, each young student given some piece of equipment or item to carry. In his case it was a box of chalk. The older school had girls and boys separated. It was a two teacher school with Mr William Leacy and Mr Sheehan in charge. With the move to the four teacher school there was much more room but it still meant two teachers had to share a classroom.
The extra facilities at the 'new' school allowed Mr Barry to teach gardening to the boys on Thursdays while Mrs McCarthy conducted cookery classes for the girls from 1.30 to 3pm.
Another memory is of local shopkeeper Cyril Fair setting up a stall at the school wall at lunchtime to enable country children to buy sweets and treats during their lunchbreak. One memory which will surely resonate with a lot of schoolchildren of the 50s and 60s is the duty assigned to the boys - to collect kindling in the morning for the schoolroom fire. Girls in the Rathcormac school meanwhile got the job of shaking chalk from the dusters before the start of class each day.
No doubt there'll be many other memories shared this weekend in Rathcormac.
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