Roxboro National School
School Details
Location
About
Roxboro National School is a Catholic co‑educational primary school situated in Derrane, County Roscommon. The school delivers a holistic curriculum that nurtures the intellectual, spiritual, physical, moral, emotional and cultural development of each pupil, in line with its stated ethos of “Laborare est orare” – “to work is to pray”. Emphasis is placed on a balanced programme of academic learning, Gaelic games, the arts and environmental stewardship, reflected in recent achievements such as a Greener Spaces award and strong performance in national debating competitions. The campus has expanded steadily, now comprising a main building with ten classrooms, a dedicated sports area for Gaelic football, and facilities that support a vibrant extracurricular programme. A distinctive school uniform of sky‑blue shirt or blouse with navy skirt or trousers and jumper reinforces a sense of community, while the school crest, designed by a local artist, symbolises the Christian faith, love of learning, local oak heritage and sporting spirit.
History
The educational tradition in the Roxboro area dates back to an 18th‑century hedge school run by Micheál Ó Braonáin, with a surviving roll book entry from 18 January 1796 – possibly the oldest in Ireland. The first formal school was erected in 1865. In 1963 a second school, the “Hanly Memorial School”, opened as a two‑teacher institution, later expanded with a third classroom in 1984. A third, larger school was built in 2003/2004 with five classrooms, and additional classrooms were added in 2010, 2015 and 2016, bringing the current facilities to ten classrooms.