Crowenstown National School
School Details
Location
About
St. Patrick’s National School, Crowenstown is a small, co‑educational, rural primary school situated three miles outside Delvin in County Meath. Operating under the patronage of the Catholic Bishop of Meath, the school provides a warm, welcoming environment where each child’s academic, spiritual, physical and social talents are nurtured. The ethos is child‑centred, encouraging curiosity, independent thought and a love of learning, with strong collaboration between teachers and parents to support each pupil’s development. The school is staffed by two class teachers together with a full‑time and a part‑time special educational needs (SEN) teacher, reflecting its commitment to inclusive education. Facilities include a modern building opened in 1968 that houses three classrooms, a staffroom/office and dedicated spaces for SEN support. The school aims for pupils to leave with solid skills in reading, writing and numeracy, an appreciation of their faith and the wider world, and many happy memories of their time at St Patrick’s.
History
The first school in Crowenstown began in the house of Master Mulligan, a former hedge‑school teacher, and a dedicated school building was opened in 1841 with a two‑storey structure where the teacher lived upstairs and classes were held on the ground floor. Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, teachers such as Miss Cummins, Miss Margaret O’Brien and her sister Elizabeth played pivotal roles, providing not only education but also meals and winter clothing for disadvantaged pupils. As enrolments grew, the upstairs accommodation was converted into additional classrooms, and children played on the road, bringing turf or sticks to heat the school. A new modern school building with three classrooms and a staffroom was commissioned and opened in 1968 across the road from the original site. The old building was demolished in December 1989, its plaque now displayed at the gate of the new school.