The original school was situated in what is now the hall. It was a two roomed building with two other very small rooms in it. There was no running water and so the toilets consisted of a pit at the back of the building which had to be emptied by someone who was employed for this purpose. One elderly female resident of Skryne commented recently that she was always scared that she would fall into the pit!

The basement below the two rooms was used to house the teachers’ ponies and traps and a man was employed to come in and feed them hay during the day and clean out the stable. Later on it was used as a bicycle store where those who cycled could leave their bicycles.

It is hard to ascertain when the school started but it was in existence during the latter part of the nineteenth century and finally ceased to be used in 1946 when a new school was built across the road. This new school was a model of its kind foe Meath – i.e. it was the first school of its particular design to be built in the county. This happened when Father Cooney was the parish priest. This school continued to be used until 2004 when it was replaced by the present building.

By Pru Symmons

1952 Times Pictorial article about Skryne school