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1835. Discovery of Ruins of Lost School at Sea Lodge (Gearhameen, (Irish: Gaortha mín, meaning ‘small wooded glen’), Durrus, West Cork. Master Timothy Daly, aged 24, Possibly from Dromnea. Kilcrohane.
Gearhameen (646 acres) (Irish: Gaortha min, meaning ‘small wooded glen’). On the east side is Coolnalong Castle seat of the McCarthy Muclaghs later the property of Lord Bandon. On the Clashadoo side is Fahies (na Faithi) containing a disused quarry operated by the Spillane family used to provide stone for the Catholic church. There was a Fullach Fia in a large field opposite Durrus Court removed during agricultural improvements in the 1950s. Location of 1835 school at Sea Lodge not on coast.
The Commission of Public Instruction, Ireland Report 1835
This sets out on a parish basis the provision of local education. The following are the details for ‘Durruskilcrohane’:
Female school kept by Eliza Daly with an annual grant from the British and Irish Ladies School Society of £12, it had 83 females, average daily attendance of 55 and increasing. Instruction consisted of reading, writing, arithmetic, needlework, the scriptures, and Church catechism.
Day school kept by James Kingston (he is described a RC elsewhere), with an annual grant from the Association for Discontinuing Vice of £8; house, rent free, and an acre of ground from the Vicar. 30 males average daily attendance 22 stationary. Instruction consisted of reading, writing, arithmetic, the scriptures, and Church catechism to the Protestants.
Day school kept by Samuel Hatfield, subscriptions from the Vicar and others and the payment by the children of 1s. 6d. a quarter, males 29, females 16. Instruction consisted of reading, writing, arithmetic, the scriptures, and Church catechism, established June 9, 1834.
Day school kept by Timothy Daly, an annual grant from the London Hibernian Society of 1s. per quarter for each child, and payments by the children of 1s per quarter, established 1832. 91 males and 11 females average daily attendance 65 increasing. Instruction consisted of reading, writing, arithmetic, and the scriptures. This is probably the school at Sea Lodge grant aided by the Society for the Education of the Poor in Ireland in 1821. Timothy Daly, a Catholic was 24 in 1824. Most of their schools in West Cork had Protestant teachers and the patrons were the local Church of Ireland clergy. In this case the patron was Nathaniel Evanson. The walls of the school are still extant to the west of Durrus Court at Gearhameen.
Sea Lodge was in the tithe applottments occupied by Nathaniel Evanson Junior some distance away Nathaniel Evanson Senior was at Durrus Court. The school was located up a bridge path now overgrown off the former road from Durrus Court to Gearhameen now the Sheeps Head Way. Given the involvement of the Evansons the landlords of Dromnea, Kilcrohane, the location of the former Daly Bardic School the master Timothy Daly may be from there.
Not to be confused with Sea Lodge on the coast road nearby.
National School kept by John McCarthy, annual grant from the Board of £8, and payment of 6d. a quarter by the children. 61 males 39 females average daily attendance 55 increasing. Instruction consisted of reading, writing, arithmetic, and the Roman Catholic Catechism.
Female school kept by Margaret Forbes, annual grant from the London Ladies Society of £12, 14 males 72 females average daily attendance 35 increasing. Instruction consisted of reading, writing, arithmetic, needlework, and the scriptures.
Hedge School kept by Thomas Toomey, payment by the children, from 1s. 6d. to 3s. a quarter, males 58 females 10 summer attendance 40. Instruction consisted of reading, writing, arithmetic, and the Roman Catholic Catechism
Sunday school books from the Sunday School Society males 25 females 55 average 40 increasing, the scriptures
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West Cork History 