Irish Charter Schools
Encyclopedia
Irish Charter Schools were operated by The Incorporated Society in Dublin for Promoting English Protestant Schools in Ireland. The Charter Schools admitted only Catholics, under the condition that they be educated as Protestants. These schools were intended, in the words of their programme, "to rescue the souls of thousands of poor children from the dangers of Popish superstition and idolatry, and their bodies from the miseries of idleness and beggary."
in Ireland, among others, petitioned George II for a charter to set up schools where the children of Irish Catholics would be given free instruction in the English language and the Protestant religion. Boys would learn a trade and girls domestic skills, and maybe even be given a marriage portion, assuming they remained Protestant. At this time the Penal Laws were in full force: the Catholic clergy was outlawed, and no Catholic was permitted "publicly or in private houses teach school, or instruct youth in learning", so there was no source of education for Catholics. The charter was granted in 1733 and the king promised £1,000 per annum. The first school was opened at Castledermot
on 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) of land donated by the Earl of Kildare.
Over the following decades further finance was provided by the British government. Various stratagems were resorted to keep up the intake of children, such as taking beggar children off the street and taking in orphan babies. The schools were viewed with the deepest suspicion by Catholics.
After inspections towards the end of the century showed massive abuse of the system, many children receiving little instruction but were being used mainly as farm labourers or weavers and subject to squalid conditions, punishment and disease.
The reputations and population of the schools continued to decrease from the turn of the 19th century until they petered out around mid-century.
History
In 1731, the archbishops and bishops of the Established ChurchChurch of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
in Ireland, among others, petitioned George II for a charter to set up schools where the children of Irish Catholics would be given free instruction in the English language and the Protestant religion. Boys would learn a trade and girls domestic skills, and maybe even be given a marriage portion, assuming they remained Protestant. At this time the Penal Laws were in full force: the Catholic clergy was outlawed, and no Catholic was permitted "publicly or in private houses teach school, or instruct youth in learning", so there was no source of education for Catholics. The charter was granted in 1733 and the king promised £1,000 per annum. The first school was opened at Castledermot
Castledermot
Castledermot is an inland village in the south-east of Ireland in County Kildare, about from Dublin, and from the town of Carlow. The N9 road from Dublin to Waterford passes through the village but completion of a bypass is due during 2010.-Demographics:...
on 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) of land donated by the Earl of Kildare.
Over the following decades further finance was provided by the British government. Various stratagems were resorted to keep up the intake of children, such as taking beggar children off the street and taking in orphan babies. The schools were viewed with the deepest suspicion by Catholics.
After inspections towards the end of the century showed massive abuse of the system, many children receiving little instruction but were being used mainly as farm labourers or weavers and subject to squalid conditions, punishment and disease.
The reputations and population of the schools continued to decrease from the turn of the 19th century until they petered out around mid-century.
Schools
- ClontarfClontarfClontarf may refer to:Placenames:*Clontarf, Dublin, Ireland*Clontarf, New South Wales, Australia*Clontarf, Queensland, Australia*Clontarf, Minnesota, United StatesOther:*Battle of Clontarf, 1014...
: This charter-school was opened by Lord HarringtonWilliam Stanhope, 1st Earl of HarringtonWilliam Stanhope, 1st Earl of Harrington, PC was a British statesman and diplomat.He was a younger son of John Stanhope of Elvaston, Derbyshire, and a brother of Charles Stanhope , an active politician during the reign of George I. His ancestor, Sir John Stanhope , was a half-brother of Philip...
in 1748. It was helped by donations and bequests, for example in 1759 A Mr. P. Ramsey donated the interest of £200 to the school, and in 1771 the Rev. John Johnson, Rector of HollymountHollymountHollymount is a village on the R331 regional road in County Mayo, Ireland. It lies mid-way between the towns of Ballinrobe and Claremorris in the plains of South Mayo. It has a post office, a mini-mart, a community center , a small fuel/petrol station, and various public houses. It also has a...
in MayoCounty MayoCounty Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
left £200 to the school. It was closed about 1830. - SantrySantrySantry is a suburb on the Northside of Dublin, Ireland, bordering Coolock, Glasnevin and Ballymun. Today it straddles the boundary of Dublin City and Fingal County Council area....
: A charter-school was opened for sixty girls in 1744 and endowed with £50 per annum by the Dublin Corporation. The property developer Luke GardinerLuke GardinerLuke Gardiner was an Irish property developer and politician.In the Irish House of Commons he represented Tralee from 1725 until 1727 and Thomastown from 1727 until his death in 1755 . He was appointed to the Irish Privy Council on 2 August 1737.In 1711 he married Anne Stewart, daughter of the Hon...
donated an acre of land and a further 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) at an economical rate for the use of the school. Hugh BoulterHugh BoulterHugh Boulter was the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh, the Primate of All Ireland, from 1724 until his death. He also served as the chaplain to George I from 1719.-Background and education:...
, Archbishop of ArmaghArchbishop of Armagh (Church of Ireland)The Anglican Archbishop of Armagh is the ecclesiastical head of the Church of Ireland, the metropolitan of the Province of Armagh and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Armagh....
, contributed £400 for the construction. A charter-school for 150 boys was also provided, with thirty-two acres of land, though it had few students. - ArdbraccanArdbraccanArdbraccan is an ancient place of Christian worship in County Meath, Ireland. It is the location of the former residence of the Roman Catholic, then, after the Reformation, the Church of Ireland Bishop of Meath. It is located approximately 30 miles from Dublin.-Origins:Ardbraccan originated as a...
: The charter-school here opened in 1747.
Further reading
- Kenneth Milne, The Irish Charter School 1730-1830, Four Courts Press, ISBN 1-85182-232-1