This article focuses on the national schools established in 1831 by Lord Edwin Stanley, the Lord Lieutenant, i.e., the British government's minister in Ireland at the time. These schools were non-denominational and state-run; even so, their creation was not greeted with enthusiasm. Catholics were against mixing Catholic and Protestant pupils and the Church of Ireland wanted a role in national education (Foster, R.F. Modern Ireland, 1988).

National commissioners and local trustees operated the system. A large number of schools were built, more than 2,500 in the province of Ulster by 1870 (Maxwell, Ian. "Tracng Your Irish Ancestors," 1997). Collections of school records are held by the National Archives of Ireland in Dublin and by the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) in Belfast. In addition, the Family History Library has an extensive collection of microfilm copies of the records at PRONI.

Among the many types of school records, registers are of greatest interest to genealogists. For each pupil they usually indicate the name, age at entry or date of birth, religion, address of parents, occupation of the parent or guardian, academic progress, and the name of any previously attended school. There is enough information here to make up for missing census returns.

Begin your research by identifying the schools in your ancestors' neighborhood. This can be done using city or regional directories. A typical entry is brief but will provide the essential facts, school name and location. Keep in mind that your ancestor may have attended more than one school. Directory editions most likely to be found for sale or in Family History Centers include the Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (Samuel Lewis, 1837, rep. 1995), and editions by Pigot and Slater published between the 1820s and 1860s.

The Family History Library Catalog lists not only the many microfilm copies of national school records from the six counties of Northern Ireland but numerous school histories and some other records such as those for the Society of Friends school in Lisburn. Search under Ireland-county name-schools, or under Ireland-county name-town name-schools.

For those who must find school records in Ireland, begin by visiting the website of the National Archives or of PRONI. Also, try the search capabilities of GENUKI; Cavan is one county where school records are referenced. Among print resources several county guides have been published. An excellent one that includes a summary of national school records is Researching Armagh Ancestors (Ian Maxwell, 2000).

The start of the national schools did not mark the start of mass education. Reports estimate as many as 300,000 were attending hedge (or pay) schools in the 1820s (Connolly, S.J., Oxford Companion to Irish History, 1998). They were, unofficially, the Catholic schools of Ireland. Itinerant masters, many of whom acquired their education in the same way, conducted classes in the open air or sheds and barns. Anyone interested in knowing more is unlikely to find lists of pupils but interesting background appears in the report of the 1834 parliamentary commission on education. Hedge schools are included in the listings. Information given is the location, teacher's name, source of support, number of pupils, and subjects taught (Report of the Select Committee on Foundation Schools, House of Commons Papers, 1837-38).

Ireland also had many schools paid for by private philanthropy or operated by churches and religious orders. The relaxation of the Penal Laws after 1780 meant that young Catholics could be educated at home. Once again, begin by looking in directories and move on to check the Family History Library Catalog and then to the GENUKI website to identify archives and libraries in the area.

National Archives
www.nationalarchives.ie

PRONI
proni.nics.gov.uk

GENUKI/Ireland
www.genuki.org.uk/big/irl/

Family History Library Catalog
www.familysearch.org
(and select the catalog tab)

Sherry Irvine, CGRSsm, FSA(Scot) is an author, teacher, and lecturer specializing in English and Scottish family history. She is the author of Your English Ancestry (2nd ed, 1998) and Your Scottish Ancestry (1997) and a regular contributor to several journals including Genealogical Computing. Since 1996 she has been a study tour leader, course coordinator, and instructor for the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research, Samford University. She teaches online for the family history program of Vermont College and has lectured at conferences in Canada, the United States, and Australia. She is president of the Association of Professional Genealogists.