Arles National School & Arles Technical School

Arles National School

(Source William Muldowney ex pupil)

Within the same grounds can be found the old Arles National School which was built in 1856. It was occupied as a school until 1960. A new school was built a few hundred yards south of the church on the Ballickmoyler Road and was opened in 1961. Between 1960 and 1989 the old school remained empty and became a tumble-down ramshackle of a building. In 1989 all that changed and the building was transformed into being a modern centrally heated community centre for the region and is now known as the Arles Community Centre.

Fr Killian became pp of Arles in 1931 on the death of Fr Farrell and improved conditions at the Arles National School very quickly, we all had a warmer building and a hot drink of Coco was served at 12 noon every day. The cost was 1d (One Penny) per week for each child. Mr & Mrs Whelan were the school teachers at the time and were not always pleased with the extra work they had to endure each day. In 1932 all the children in the school at roll call had to shout their names in Irish and the master had to write them down in Irish in the roll book.

When I was in school at Arles (1950-1959) our Parish Priest was Albert G Byrne and there is a reference to him in the book ''Gravestone Inscriptions" Killeshin, Sleaty, Graiguecullen, Mayo, Arles, Doonane, Castletown, Rathaspick, Shrule, Rathnure etc with historical notes. 1997. by Paul Redmond N.T.

BYRNE

'Pray for the soul of Very Rev. Albert G. Byrne. Ordained 1908.

Parish Priest of Arles from 1941-1963.

Pupils of Arles NS, Co Laois 1948

Front Row from Left to Right:
F. McCarthy, H. Jeffares, G. Kealy, Tom Farrell, G, Fennell, John Bolger, Johnnie Lawler, Jim Kehoe, P. Farrell, Abban Farrell, Mick Shea R.I.P.
2nd Row:
Paddy Lawler, Christie Miller, Paddy Bracken, Richard Kehoe, Paul Bracken, Tom Jeffers, Anthony McCarty, Peadar Byrne, Michael Fenlon, John Fitzpatrick, Jimmy Fitzpatrick, George Dunne, M. Brown, Nancy Dunne.
3rd Row:
John McCaffery, Mary McCaffery, Michael Byrne, Ann McCaffery, Eileen Wall, Maura Byrne, Mary O'Brien, Lil O'Brien, Ann O'Brien, Agnes O'Brien, Collette Wall, Collette Whelan, Mary Dolan.
4th Row:
Annie Byrne, Maureen Wynne, Alice Kealy, Kathleen Kehoe, Agnes Kelly (Gurteen), Katie Miller, Bridie Kealy, Julia Fitzpatrick, Lizzie Muldowney, Kitty Keane, Kathleen Farrell.
Back Row:
Nancy Bolger, Jenny Kealy, Margaret Wall, Peggy Wall, Maidenhead), Judy Miller, Ena Wynne, M. Kehoe (Arles) Angela Byrne, Carrie Jeffers, Ruby Jeffers. (last name missing)

The above picture is of the Arles School outing.

The picture was taken on top of the Independent House in Dublin some time in 1962-63.

Back Row Left to Right: Peter Byrne, Tommy Kennedy, Seamus Nash, Sheila Nash, Margaret Cooney, Frank Byrne, Elenor Dolan, Mary Farrell (Strand), Elizabeth Myron, Frank Farrell, Tessie Kennedy. Betty Noctor, Jim Harney (Teacher), Jim Miller, Michael Bolton, Pat Keightly.

Mid Row: Tony Kennedy, Breda Doogue, Breda Nash, Betty Cooney, Claire Brennan (no relation), Sadie Conway, Breda Byrne, Margaret Miller, Mary McDonald, Mary Keightly.

Front Row: Michael Bolton, Liam Myron, Catherine Mulhall, Concepta Conway, Noleen Byrne, Betty Keightly, Ann Farrell, Noreen Byrne, Eileen McDonald, John McDonal

Arles Technical School

Arles Technical School c1940s

Arles Technical School

Arles also had what was once a very active school in it's own right known as Arles Technical School where a lot of the local children and adults were able to learn various skills such as Domestic Science, Wood working, Needle Work and Technical drawing plus other various handy crafts. After you finished your regular school at the end of the day, at least once a week, you would go along to the Tech (short for Technical) for an hour, learning a craft or how to bake bread or what ever you fancied doing with your spare time. This school was completed in 1937. My Uncle Mark Brennan (1914-1939) with the help of his father (my Granddad) Thomas Brennan (1876-1957) ( who was a Plasterer and Slater by trade) planted all the trees around the front of the school and and for several years later he also worked on the upkeep of the school.

A close up of Thomas Brennan and his daughter Elizabeth (Lily) Brennan the two people on the steps of the Technical School above.

A number of local craftsmen were involved in the building of the Technical School at Arles and especially in the finishing work. Mr William Muldowney from Ballynagall along with Thomas and hi brother Mark Brennan and Thomas' son Markie Brennan from Cooper Hill were responsible for the Plastering and Tiling work. Thomas Brennan's son was also involved in the planting of the Trees at the front of the school. The work was completed in 1937.

The main building contractors were D & J Carbery Limited. Building Contractors. Athy & Carlow.

Messrs. Duthie, Large and Co., The Foundry, Athy, Co. Kildare installed a very modern electrical lighting system with round white globes hanging from the ceiling, six in each room,, A big generator and a petrol engine with wires and dials was housed in a special building. But alas, it never ever did work. The man came several times and pushed and pulled and ??//,, it was eventually forgotten.

The building is no longer been used for educational purposes. It is now occupied by some local business people today.

Photos by

W Muldowney

c1956

Before the tech was built in 1936/37, there was a big three story house there, and the remains of two other small houses. The Moran family lived there for nearly ten years. I remember a man named Johnny King who lived in a house where the new road is now . I think he died about 1930. Martin Feeney purchased the old house and field, and later on in the 1950's the council took the corner of the field to straighten the road. Bill

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