Coomhola National School
School Details
Location
About
Coomhola National School is a small, four‑teacher, co‑educational primary school situated in the picturesque Borlin Valley, midway between Bantry and Glengarriff in County Cork. The school forms an integral part of the Coomhola/Borlin community, lying adjacent to St Joseph’s Church and the Coomhola Playgroup, and benefits from close links with local families and community groups. Its rural setting provides a tranquil learning environment while still offering a full programme of extracurricular activities. The school follows a balanced educational approach that combines a strong academic curriculum with a wide range of cultural and sporting events. The published academic calendar for 2025‑2026 highlights regular activities such as a sports day, book fairs, concerts, and community‑focused days like Grandparents’ Day and World Book Day. These events reflect the school’s commitment to fostering personal development, creativity and social responsibility alongside core subjects. Small class sizes enable personalised attention, and the school’s location near the playgroup and local church supports a vibrant, community‑centred ethos.
History
The origins of education in the Coomhola area date back to the early 19th century, when the parish of Kilmocomogue hosted numerous “pay schools” and a few “free schools”. In 1848 the District Inspector of National Schools applied for state support for Coomhola School, noting the dense local population of small farmers, cottiers and labourers. On 1 January 1849 the famine‑time school at Drumduff, then a modest stone‑and‑mud building with poor ventilation, was transferred to Cooryleary, about half a mile west of the present site. The new premises, a thatched farmhouse‑style structure, accommodated 70 pupils, most of whom attended gratuitously. After the dismissal of the first teacher, Mr Purcell, in 1851, Mr Michael Breen took charge, teaching children from up to three miles away. The mixed school welcomed pupils of all denominations and offered a broad curriculum that included reading, spelling, writing, arithmetic, grammar, geography, needlework and agriculture. The school served the community for nearly three decades before evolving into the modern Coomhola National School.