Hi to All,
Success! I have pressed on with research on this school, and made contact with
the owner of the renovated school… see present-day photo here
<http://www.strong-family.org/lane/chapter_3.html#national>.
The Unagh National School was just down the hill from my LANE family’s Unagh
farm in a SW direction. It is highly probable that the elder LANE children
attended the school. The family would have a respect for learning, resulting
in son Joseph’s occupation of Marine Engineer. All the children had to do was
walk down to the S end of their property to the copse of trees, then down SW
through James M’GAGH's property to the National School. It is still on the
same tiny block shown on the Griffith map, with an area of only 88 m2.
Regardless of an absence of PRONI Unagh National School files, some records of
the school have been found:
1835. Visit of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (Earl of Mulgrave) to Sir T.
Staples at Lissan. The “Committee of the Unagh School waited on his Excellency
and stated the circumstances of the School, to the funds of which he
contributed in the most liberal manner.”
1840. “Application to the commissioners of Education (for) payment of
teachers’ salary, and for supply of books.” The application stated the school
“was founded in 1834 built by private subscriptions.”
1840. The Parliamentary gazetteer of Ireland reported that in Lissan, “the
National Board had schools at Creivaigh and Unagh.”
1894. Joseph M’Clean of Unagh, said County School Teacher.
Aft 1894. Farewell to Joseph M'Clean, a teacher transferring from Unagh N.S.
1910. No mention of the school in a Cookstown Directory.
2003. Replica of original sandstone plaque placed on refurbished
schoolhouse. “Unagh National Elementary school house built by voluntary public
subscription AD 1834. J Cotton 2003.”
My LANE children would have fitted in to the almost adjacent National School
which had 3 Presbyterian ministers from Cookstown as patrons. The school was
careful to ensure that it was “open all days of the week to the public of all
denominations” and that “no obstruction shall be offered to the children of
such parents receiving (religious) instructions elsewhere as they may think
proper.” Notwithstanding this, the plaque on the school had a Co. Tyrone crest
on its top left modified to an education logo, featuring a book, and on top
right the logo of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland… the burning bush and the
motto “Ardens sed virens”. See the photo
<http://www.strong-family.org/lane/chapter_3.html#plaque> of the plaque.
Please see my website for details of all the references cited as well as photos
and maps at:
http://www.strong-family.org/lane/chapter_3.html
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
**Philip Strong**Email:[email protected]**Blue Mountains, Australia**
Interest: LANE/ LAIN(E)s of Co. Tyrone and Belfast IRL, early 1800's
then Newcastle upon Tyne England and Auckland New Zealand after 1875
http://www.strong-family.org/lane/
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