Tuesday 5 April 2011

Ray School - Ena Mc Clean

Ray School was built in the year 1740 in the district known as Labadish about one and a half miles from the village of Manorcunningham. This was a charter school, the only charter school in Donegal - the inscription over the door reads 'For the increase of true religion and of industry.' This school was built by the Society for promoting English Protestant Schools. Ray was a boarding school for boys and girls until 1895.

The boys had many chores to do from working in the bog, gathering potatoes, working at flax for spinning, knitting socks, fetching turf and water and herding cattle. The girls did all the spinning (this was done in the cellar) along with many other household chores.

A Mr. Finucane was Master of the Free School - a name it became after it became a day school. All other schools were fee paying in the the parish. Mr Finucane continued as Master until his death on August 1970 aged 81 years. He is laid to rest in the graveyard of Raymochy Parish Church.

Errity School in Manorcunnigham Village was amalgamated with Ray in 1914 with 66 pupils on roll in ray and 16 pupils transferred from Errity.

In 1895 Ray school applied to become a part of the National School system and has so remained to this day. Although a new Ray School was built adjacent in 2000. Ray school celebrated its 250th anniversary while still in use in 1990.

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