The
History of St. Declans N.S.
In 1932
the Protestant Bishop of Waterford agreed to
allow three vacant rooms in the Church
of Ireland model school
in Water Street
to be used as a school for the local Catholic boys. The De La Salle brothers
agreed to conduct the school and so on October 3rd 1932 St. Declan's school
was founded. The first principal of the school was Br. Bernard Foley. His two
assistants were Br. Oliver Rice and Br. Leo Carr. The first pupil to be
enrolled in St. Declan's was Austin Curtin.
There
were two schools under the one roof - the Church of Ireland
school with it's three teachers, the new Catholic school with it's three
Brothers - the old model school, the new St. Declan's. Surely an unusual and
rather ominous set-up, unheard of anywhere else in Ireland but with good will on
both sides, the staffs worked harmoniously together and assisted each other
in every way.
By 1945
St. Declan's had over 200 pupils while the Church of Ireland
school was reduced to 2 teachers. After consultation between the Catholic and
Church of Ireland authorities and the Ministry
of Education, it was agreed that a new school should be built in the grounds
for the Protestant children and the existing school should be handed over to
the Catholic authorities and modernised. In 1965 St. Declan's school was
reconstructed. The finished building comprised of twelve classrooms, an
assembly hall and ancillary offices all under the one roof. The school was
beautifully furnished in the latest style and had accommodation for 450
pupils. Five extra classrooms were built in 1982
The De La
Salle Brothers continued to conduct the school until 1994. On 31st August
1994 Br, Finbar O' Keefe retired as the last De La Salle Principal of St.
Declan's.
On 1st
September 1994, Mr. Eamon O' Mahony was appointed the first lay principal of
St. Declan's. St Declan's school will always cherish it's De La Salle spirit
and tradition. The De La Salle "Signum
Fidei" crest is still the St Declan's crest and almost all the pupils of
St. Declan's transfer to De La Salle College when they have completed their
Primary School education.
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