National school is a community treasure

IN the not-too-distant past society was principally defined by the practices of sharing, social interaction and visitation.

The meitheal, at its many and varied levels, was central to the lives of the people. Births, marriages and deaths had a relevance not just for the individual family but in a very real sense for the entire district.

The togetherness of the people and their sense of identity with place resulted to a great degree from being nurtured and educated in their local national school. It was in such a stern setting that they imbibed local history, grasped intricate lineage and aspired to a shared future.