The History of Anacarty NS
Early History
An effective system of elementary Catholic education operated in the parish during the Penal era. This remained in place until the arrival of the national schools in 1831 and for some time afterwards.
In 1824 there were six private or pay schools in the parish catering for a total of 425 pupils. Eleven years later, in 1835 there were 770 pupils attending nine elementary schools in Annacarty and Carhue which were built in 1832.
Recent decades have witnessed further changes in primary schooling in the parish. In 1971 Carhue NS was amalgamated with Annacarty while Moheragh schools also closed in June 1996.
Garyshane NS was built in 1836 and Moheragh NS in 1847. In 1852 the four national schools had a complement of 332 pupils while there were also private schools in Coolacussane and Newtown.
Anacarty National School
Over the years school buildings were replaced in the parish more than once. In 1874 the old Church in Annacarty, replaced in 1870 became the location of the girls and boys school which were subsequently amalgamated in 1939. Four new school buildings replace existing ones during the years 1959-1960.
Anacarty National School's new building was opened on September 1st, 2005.
The Schools Folklore Collection
In 1937, the Irish Folklore Commission embarked upon a project to collect and preserve the folklore, customs and traditions of Ireland. With the help of sixth class students from primary schools across the country over 750,000 pages of local history and oral traditions were collected, filling more than 18,000 school copy books.
The children collected stories from their parents, grandparents and members of the local community. Stories of local lore, hidden treasures, holy wells, fairy forts, traditions, customs, cures, and famous local people.
Included in the collection are stories collected by Bríghid Ní Riain's sixth class and Liam Ó Dómhnaill's sixth class in Anacarty Girls and Boys school.
There Was Once A Man Who Had A Smoking Chimney
There was once a man who had a smoking chimney and was very anxious to get a remedy for it. An old trades man called on him one day and said he would tell him how to stop the smoke if he gave him a glass of whiskey.
The man was delighted and gave the fellow the desired liquor. The tradesman drank the whiskey off in a gulp and said "Never put a fire in it Sir."
Collected by John Tuohy of Rossacrow, Co. Tipperary
A Local Man Named Jeremiah Carmody
A local man named Jeremiah Carmody of Cappamurragh, Dundrum who us now dead R.I.P. was coming from a public house one moonlight night and lost his way. He soon found himself in a flood.
When he was not returning his wife got uneasy about him and started out to meet him, on a path by which he was in the habit of coming home. To her dismay when she had gone halfway she found a flood had risen.
She then called loudly, and said "Jer, where are you?" He was drunk and looking down on the waters said "Begor Mary! Where ever I am, I am about a hundred miles over the moon."
Collected by Thomas Butler of Dundrum, Co. Tipperary
Hidden Treasure
Some years ago three men went searching for gold which was supposed to have been hidden under the stairs in Ballysheedy Castle, Donohill parish, Co. Tipperary.
It is not known by whom the treasure was hidden, but local tradition says, that it was hidden by the monks of Kilnamanagh Abbey, (not far from the castle). It is said to consist of golden ornaments and golden vessels.
One of the men whose name was Connie Hayden, (the others are not known) was deaf. The three began to dig for the treasure about midnight. They had not dug very much when a red-coated headless horseman passed them by with the speed of light.
The men were frightened but kept working away. Suddenly a huge ball of fire appeared over their heads. It took human shape and let out an unearthly scream. The deaf man neither saw nor heard it but the others downed tools and ran away.
The deaf man kept working away but when he missed the others he too decamped leaving his tools behind him.
When they went back next morning for their tools there was no trace of them to be found neither was there anything to show that anybody had been digging there.
Collected by Thomas Scanlan of Ballysheeda, Co. Tipperary
