School
Hedge Schools were a system of schools which became widespread during the 18th century to provide education for Catholics, who were prevented by the penal laws from attending schools. School was set up on the sunny side of a hedge, later huts or barns were used. Children often took two sods of turf each day for a fire, around which they sat, on cold days. The hedge-school masters were poorly paid, often as little as 6p per quarter. Generally they would receive payments in kind of turf, fowl, butter and vegetables. Derreenascobe was the site of one of the first hedge schools in the area. The Hedge-school master was Andrew Lavelle. 1849: On February 1,the old Church in Ballybourke was opened as a school and the teacher at that time was a man called Patrick Lyons.
1855: The first National School in Killawalla was opened, The man who began teaching here was Michael O'Connor
1889: A boys school was built in Killawalla.
1891: A girls school was built in Killawalla. This girls school later became our present Killawalla Community Centre.
The school had four teachdrs. Master Owens taught 3-6th class girls. He lived in a house just east of Adrian Carter's house at the side of the hill that iss known locally as "Owens Hill." He died of jaundice and was replaced by Master Gibbons from Ballyheane. Miss E. Langan taught infants-3rd class boys. Miss A. Langan taught infants-3rd class girls.
During the period 1918-1925, Master Gibbons was assisted by a Miss Walsh who wa.s replaced by a Miss Touhy in 1924. In that year, school was made compulsory until the age of fourteen.
In the early days, the rolls were written on the blackboard so that the inspector could see the attendance for that day.
During the summer of 1923 (June, July and August), the school was closed so that the teachers could go to college to learn Irish. Before that, only English was taught but in 1926-27, night classes were started for anyone who wanted to learn Irish.
During the 1930's, there were four teachers between the two schools Mr.McDonagh was principal of the boys school and Mrs. Owens, peincipal of the girls school. Miss O'Donnell and Miss. Jennings also taught at the same time.
1938, on July 1st, both schools were amalgamated and it became a three teacher school. This was a time when many families from such villages as Devlish, Kiltharsechaune, Moate, Dereenascobe and other places were moved by the Land Commission to ther areas, especially to Carnacon. Because of this migration, the school went from a three teacher school to a two teacher school with the retirement of Miss. Owens. That left Mr.McDonagh and Mrs.Johnson. Both retired in 1969.
1969: The pupils in Ballyburke school school were transferred to Killawalla National School. Mrs.Heneghan who taugh in Ballyburke school became principal.
1969: The pupils in Dereendafderg school were transferred to Killawalla National School. Miss Josie Kenny and Miss.Eileen O'Malley who taught in Dereendafderg school, joined the Killawalla school staff as teachers. In 1971, Mrs. Henaghan retired as principal and Mr. Tommy Heneghan , who had been teaching in Lankhill, became principal.
1974; Shraheen school closed and the pupils were bussed to Killawalla school. Mrs. Maureen Murphy,who had been teaching in Shraheen, joined the Killawalla school as a teacher. Mr.Heneghan retired as principal in February 1987 and was suceeded by Mr.Mairtin O'Maicin as principal.
1994: On June 6th, the new and present school in Killawalla was opened.
Mr. O'Maicin retired as principal in and was succeeded by Mrs. Teresa Hoban as principal.