Ballyduff National School History
School in the Old Days
In 1835, there were 3 hedge schools in Ballyduff. Parents had to pay a small fee and the teachers taught the children the 3Rs – Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic.
Ballyduff Boys’ and Girls’ School was built in 1839. Mrs. Staughton of The Great House in Ballyhorgan gave the land on which to build the school.
The school building consisted of two classrooms in the Boys’ School one with a gallery and desks. The Girls’ School was one large room. There was a porch at the entrance to each school. The children hung their coats and the turf was kept here during the winter!
Ballyduff Central National School
The present building was opened in 1966 as separate Boys’ and Girls’ schools. They were amalgamated in 1982 to form Ballyduff Central National School.
An extension was opened in 1985 with the P.E. hall, 2 upstairs classrooms, library, staff room and offices added.
In Summer 2015 following the amalgamation of Ballyduff Central N.S. and Rathmorrel N.S. Ballyduff N.S. was formed.
Ballyduff National School celebrated its 50th anniversary in the academic year 2016/17. The school’s rich history of education and culture was celebrated.
The school and community marked this special event with a mass in the schoolyard, a trip down memory lane where an extensive photograph and artifact celebrating the school’s rich history was displayed, a fun sports and barbeque day united young and old in sharing stories and events pertaining to school days and a 3km run got the celebration on the fun day off to an energetic start.
