Classroom at Brittas National School, 1960
Photograph of a classroom and students at Brittas National School in 1960. The desks shown in the photo are typical of those in most National Schools at the time.
© South Dublin Libraries.Classroom at Brittas National School, 1960
© South Dublin Libraries.
© South Dublin Libraries.
Classroom at Brittas National School, 1960
Photograph of a classroom and students at Brittas National School in 1960. The desks shown in the photo are typical of those in most National Schools at the time.
© South Dublin Libraries.Rathcoole National School changed buildings once more in 1965. A new three-roomed building replaced the previous school, and later more rooms were added.
This is a photo of another Co. Dublin school, Brittas National School, taken in the 1960s. The design of the desks is typical of the time, and Ratcoole National School would have had similar furniture. Are the desks in the photo similar to those in your school?
From the late 1960s, it became the norm for every child to go to school. This was largely thanks to the Fianna Fáil Minister for Education, Donough O'Malley, who introduced free education at that time. This, coupled with the swelling Irish population, caused many schools to grow rapidly.
In Rathcoole, the old school and the old library were soon in use as classrooms. In 1974, a major extension was begun and by 1975 a new block comprising ten classrooms, a hall, and offices was opened.