Burrane National School

This school was built in the townland of Burrane. The first official school was located in Burrane Upper circa 1831 on land granted by the local landlord Robert William Carey Reeves of Besborough House and became part of the national system around 1852. Approximately 200 pupils attended and Martin Creehan was the first teacher. The present school, on the same site, was built in 1890 and completed in 1892 with Mr and Mrs Bermingham, Donail, as Principals. When Mrs Bermingham retired, both sections were amalgamated. Over the years considerable work has been done to the building to reach the standard it is at today as a three-classroom school with a lovely all weather playground area.

Anita Cleary, Tonovoher, recalled for us:

‘Children who lived in East Tonovoher attended Burrane School. Children in West Tonovoher attended Knockerra School. East Tonovoher children, like Alice Taylor “went to school through the fields” as this was the most direct route. In summer we couldn’t wait to go barefoot but grandmother said “you cannot go barefoot ‘till the crows are sticking out their tongues.” In 1955, Nora Culligan (my aunt) became Principal in Burrane N.S. She resided with us. Pressure was on then to perform well at school!’