The first school in Lavally was opened on December 11th, 1879 and was located on the site of the present day ballcourt. Prior to this education was available only in hedge schools and in the case of Church of Ireland children in the Sunday school which was held at the Protestant church in Lavally village. The nearest local hedge school was at ‘Cuilbeg’ and was known as ‘Padraigeens’, the teacher there being one Padraig McDonagh. There were others at Claddagh and at Cortoon church. Although the primary education system in Ireland began in 1831 with an Act known as the “Stanley Letter” the setting up of Primary Schools in Tuam Archdiocese was delayed. This was due to the fact that Archbishop John Mc Hale would not allow schools to be established without the use of the Irish Language which was eventually conceded in 1878.
The original Lavally School which opened in 1879 was a one-roomed building, measuring forty feet long by sixteen feet wide. The furniture consisted of seven desks, each measuring ten feet six inches in length and four forms each twelve feet long. The building was heated by a turf fire and toilet facilities were outdoors. The site for the school was procured from the local landlord, Mr. Mc Donnell, at an annual lease of one shilling (5 cent). However, no demand was ever made by Mr. Mc Donnell for the annual shilling! Seven boys and four girls were enrolled on the first day, the first entry being that of John Gormely, Ballaghalode and the official opening of the school took place on 1st June 1880.
By the turn of the century there were over seventy pupils on roll with Mrs. Donlon as assistant teacher to Ms. Kate Collins who was principal. Mr. James Maloney replaced Ms. Collins as principal in 1918 and he served in the school for well-nigh half a century until his retirement in 1965. Mrs. Donlon was replaced by Mrs K. Maloney who taught in the school until her retirement in 1962. Mr. and Mrs Maloney were parents of Canon Joseph Maloney and Monsignor Dermot Maloney V.G. who was former president of St. Jarlaths College, Tuam.
By 1927, the number of pupils on roll had grown to 105 and considering the size of the original building no doubt there was serious overcrowding. So, in 1940, a completely new school was built adjacent and east of the old school which was then demolished. The following extract from parish records describes the ‘new’ school: - “A magnificent new school on an elevated foundation with every convenience for pupils and teachers, two covered play sheds, cloakrooms, lavatories, etc., was erected in 1940 on the same plot and beside the old school. There are separate playgrounds for boys and girls and the whole school block is enclosed by a strong concrete wall. In 1941 selected shrubs were planted inside the boundary wall. When the new school was opened the old school was demolished” The Maloney ‘Era’ which had seen great expansion of the school began to come to an end in 1962/63 with the retirement of Mrs. K. Maloney who was replaced as assistant by Mrs. Maura Maguire. Mrs. Maguire left to teach in Canada in 1964/65 and she was replaced by Mrs. Mary Cunniffe as assistant in 1966. For the following three decades, Mrs. Cunniffe taught in Lavally National School up to 1996. James Maloney retired in 1965 and was replaced as principal by Mr. Gerry King, a well-known amateur dramatist. When Mr. King left to become principal of Cahergal N.S. in 1969, he was replaced by Mr. Michael Kelly. Mr. Kelly retired in 1970 and was replaced by Mr. Tommy Keenan, a well-known Galway footballer, who was principal up to his retirement in 1996.
In the early 1970’s, a new curriculum was introduced into the Primary Schools in Ireland. This was launched in 1971 and brought with it a new emphasis on ‘Child Centred’ education. The implementation of this new curriculum was based on four distinct class divisions, which was ideally suited to a four-teacher school. So, in turn a policy of amalgamating two ‘two teacher’ schools together became the focus of the day by the Department of Education and many two teacher schools soon ‘disappeared’ from the horizon throughout the length and breadth of Ireland. Ironically, this Government policy changed with the next change of Government and we can still see an odd two teacher school here and there, having escaped the axe! Aughaghloragh N.S., the neighbouring school to Lavally, did not escape the axe and in 1973 it was amalgamated with and to Lavally, regardless of its then enrolment of 42 pupils. Together with Lavally N.S. a new 85 pupil school was formed with four teachers resulting in the ‘ideal Educational Unit’ per say. Along with its pupils the Aughaghloragh Principal Mr. Tony Mc Hugh and the assistant Ms. Joan Treacy were moved to Lavally to join Mr.Tommy Keenan and Mrs. Mary Cunniffe. Transport for the pupils to Lavally was arranged and guaranteed by C.I.E. and still continues to the present day. Two new classrooms were added to Lavally N.S. and general improvements carried out to the existing premises, i.e., cloakrooms, toilets and a kitchenette being added. The Aughaghloragh school building dating from 1933 was eventually sold as a dwelling house and the place where education formally began in 1880 could no longer call itself a school.
Between 1973 and 1985 the number of pupils in Lavally ‘exploded’ to reach 156 and this with all its success of course brought the usual ‘overcrowding’. So, in 1983 a fifth teacher, namely Mrs. Josephine Mullen was appointed and for a period one classroom had to be partitioned for accommodation. A site was purchased adjacent to the school and on the east of the existing school for the purpose of extending the building. Three new classrooms were planned, a staffroom, office, new toilets plus incorporated classroom toilets and wet areas. The conversion of the two old (1940) classrooms into a spacious G.P. room, new ball court, new furniture, as well as reroofing and general improvements to the existing building were also planned. The total local contribution for this whole project was over £30,000 (punt) which had to be raised through local fundraising. This was done by innovative events which were carried out by parents and locals alike most notably a competition called “The Lady of the Lake” which netted £22,000 in the summer of 1983. Fundraising continued and work began in 1987. The new building was officially opened on 1st May 1989 with Mrs. Mary O’Rourke cutting the tape as Minister for Education and blessing of the school by Archbishop Joseph Cassidy. Many local representatives and dignitaries attended the ceremony including the late Molly O’Rourke of ‘Bermingham House and hunt’ whose grandchildren attended Lavally N.S.
In 1996, Mr. Tommy Greally was appointed principal on the retirement of Mr. Keenan. In the same year Ms. Mary Griffiths replaced Mrs. Mary Cunniffe who went to teach in Dunmore N.S. Ms. Joan Treacy retired from teaching in 2001 after a long career in both Aghloragh and Lavally school. In 2007 the school hosted a reception to mark the opening of the local World War II commemorative garden at Ryehill. The monument there commemorates the death of seven young airmen whose plane crashed at that spot in 1943. All seven men some Canadian, American, Australian and British were fatally injured in the crash. Many dignitaries and local representatives of the church, state and media attended the ceremony, which included a five-plane flyover by the Irish Air Corps. Ambassadors from Canadian, British, Australian and relatives of the deceased from the United States attended. These visited the school on that occasion to view the artefacts of the crash and the Australian Ambassador Anne Plunkett gave a keynote address.
In 2011 Mr. Tony Mc Hugh retired from teaching after 38 years in Lavally N.S. and was replaced by Ms. Amanda Ryan. Also on the present teaching staff are Ms. Bríd Greene since 2009 and a past pupil of the school Ms. Sharon Mc Gough since 2010. In recent years the appointment of school secretaries and Special Needs Assistants (‘SNA’) by the Department of Education has brought immense advantages to primary schools. Lavally N.S. was very fortunate in having Teresa Heverin who was a first and welcome appointment as Secretary/SNA and served until her retirement in 2019. Noreen Mc Hugh, SNA and Teresa Murray, SNA/Secretary are at present on the staff.
Recent years have also seen several changes and further improvements to the school premises such as double glazing, hot water, a security system and I.T. The playground has been enclosed by a strong boundary fence which provides great security for pupils and less headaches for teachers! Climate change has brought a rise in the water levels of the adjacent Lavally Lake so that it is no longer possible to play football alongside it as once was played. Thankfully, this is no longer necessary as a new pitch has been acquired and developed adjacent to the old playground and it provides an important facility for games and physical education.
Throughout its 142 years of history while Lavally N.S. has seen many physical changes making it a fine modern educational facility its strong educational ethos and its great spirit of welcome and friendliness remain unchanged!!
