I went to Dreenan School about 1937. I don’t remember the year I left! My two brothers and three sisters all went to Dreenan School. We got to school in Miss Mooney’s car and she was our first teacher. Miss Mooney taught four classes; Lower Infants, High Infants, 1st and 2nd classes. She taught everyone (boys and girls) how to knit. I remember her showing how to turn the heel of socks! This was very hard but she made us do it. At times she was cross but she was kind too. It was great to hear her say, `Bring me my bag and I will see did the crickets lay last night`. Then she brought out a bag of sweets and everyone got a sweet!
The school just had two rooms. The second room was a bit bigger. Here our teacher was Miss Boyle. She had 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th class. There were two pupils I always remember. One was Mary B. O’Neill. She was a beautiful writer. The other was Patrick McGoldrick. He was the only one I can remember who was so smart that he was able to skip a class. Miss Boyle taught us all Irish. This subject I liked well.
My nose used to bleed a lot at school. Miss Boyle got the very large key of the door and put it at the back of my neck until the bleeding stopped!
The bread man came about twice a week to the school. He came in a bread cart. He sat up high and drove the horse. His name was Joe Starrs. The teacher bought bread from him. We used to have to go over to Rankin’s for water. There was no water in the school.
Miss Boyle always kept saying `Seek first the kingdom of god and his justice and all things will be added up to you.
This I will always remember.
Marie McCrystal
RIP 2004.