This article is from page 15 of the 2008-06-24 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 15 JPG
THE Christian Brothers have played a central role in the history of north Clare since they arrived in En- nistymon almost 200 years ago. In 1824 local parish priest Rev Pe- ter O’Loughlin wrote to Christian Brother Edmund Rice, asking him to send two brothers to provide for the education of the many Catholic boys in the area who, due to the Penal Laws, had no opportunity of receiv- ing any schooling.
Later that year two brothers arrived in Ennistymon and took up tem- porary residence in a small house owned by a Mr Arthur near the Prot- estant Church, while a new dwelling was being built at the south end of the old Ennistymon Chapel.
In 1825 a lease was drawn up mak- ing over the premises “for the pur- pose of a school to Edmund Rice and Philip Hally of Mount Sion, Water- Ko)Ke ae
In the same year the famous Wel- lington of Waterloo made a donation of £100 to aid in establishing the said school on the understanding that the premises would always be used for that purpose. Another donation of
£100 was made by the Parish Priest.
The Chapel was converted into classrooms with a small organ loft that was removed from the north transept. In cold weather turf fires blazed in each of the three fireplaces and there was an abundance of fuel supplied by the parents of the boys.
In the five years after the arrival of the brothers between three and four hundred boys were enrolled in the school. It is recorded that “the fame of the establishment soon spread far and wide-distinguished visitors coming to see the work of the new brotherhood and, in many instances, oLoyele ul oLUceb rca Com meteam aun Telan
In May 1827 the brothers moved from their temporary residence at Arthur’s Arch into their new Mon- astery beside the school. The site on which the monastery and school stood became known as Mount St Joseph.
During the construction of the Monastery the boys, after school- hours and during playtime, helped to lay out the grounds and to build an enclosing wall.
Much of this information was first published on Wwww.homepage.eir- com.net/~cbsennistymon/