In 1835, the parish hall in Kilteely (a stone building with a slated roof), was built as a two-storey primary school costing £87.  Local voluntary labour helped greatly to reduce building costs.   The ground floor was reserved for the boys, while the girls’ school was on the first floor.  The Board of Education paid the school-master & school-mistress £8 each as their annual wage while the pupils contributed £12 to the master and £8 to the school mistress, annually.

In 1848, towards the end of The Famine, when the Archbishop of Cashel &Emly visited the parish of Kilteely/Dromkeen, a total number of 457 pupils attended the two national schools and two Hedge Schools in the parish.

By 1853 the total number of children attending the two schools had dropped to 250 pupils.

In 1848, the teachers in Kilteely National School were, James Hogan and Kate Ryan and in 1853 James Hogan and Mrs. Lonergan.

A Private Classical School was established in Kilteely in 1859 by Mr. P.R. O’Maher. Some years later he was succeeded by William Lundon in 1861.  (William Lundon was elected a Member of Parliament for Limerick-East in 1899.) 

The Classical School was a thatched building across from the old church, at that time, (where the cemetery is today).  Many young men who were interested in studying for the priesthood were taught Latin & Greek in the Classical School in Kilteely.

The present school building cost £1000 to build in 1889 under the direction of John Canon Power P.P. Major renovations were carried out, soon after the church in Kilteely was built, in the early 1960’s.  Toilets and wash basins were installed in the main school building.  A prefabricated classroom was built at the rear of the school in 1969.  This was completely replaced in 2003.  The prefabricated classroom at the front of the school was added in 1987. First Class and Second Class pupils were taught in the parish hall from 1983 until 1987.

Open fires were the original source of heating when the school was built in 1889.  Solid fuel stoves replaced the open fires from the early 1960’s, until electric storage heating was installed in 1978.  Oil-fired central heating was installed in the main school in 1996 and the attic was insulated with 15cm of insulation in 1997. This insulation was doubled to 30cm in August 2009.

In 1993 the tarmacadam court was laid in the schoolyard, costing £3,500.

The original cloakrooms were converted into a staff-room and office in 1996 and 20002 respectively.

The decaying wooden windows were replaced with double-glazed UPVC windows in 1993 & 1997.

The phone was installed in 1996.  The burglar alarm system was fitted in 2000.  Broadband was connected in 2005.

 A filmstrip projector and tape recorders were first introduced to the school in the early 1970’s, to be followed by television sets, video recorders and DVD players.

The first photocopier (a manual machine) was supplied in 1980.  Computers & printers became standard equipment from 1998. 

 Interactive Whiteboards were installed in the classrooms in 2008 and 2010.

CCTV cameras were installed in 2004.

In 2006, the tiled floors in the entrance hallway and toilet areas were covered with Marmoleum Flooring. 

New roller blinds were fitted in the main classrooms in September 2008 and August 2019.

The school was rewired and the old toilets were replaced and reorganised to be accessed from within each classroom in August 2013.

The front prefab was refurbished in 2019 and 3^rd – 6^th Class moved in leaving the old senior room for the new ASD Special Class.

New storage heaters were installed in the back prefab in October 2020.

 

Staff in Kilteely N.S.

1890    Michael Fitzgerald – Principal

His sons, James, John and Peter Paul Fitzgerald were monitors in the school in the 1880’s as was Pat O’Connell. 

Their sister, Mary Fitzgerald was principal of the girls’ school. 

She married Wiliam O’Hara who was principal of the boys’ school from 1905 – 1939. 

1901-1905        Charles Timlin (Sligo).

1905- 1939       Wiliam O’ Hara

1910-1915       James O’Dwyer (New Pallas)

1920-1950       Mary O’Meara (sister of Michael J.O’Meara M.R.C.V.S. Kilteely)

1927-1950       Bridget Ryan (Doon)

1920’s              William Hilliard taught for a brief stay.

1939-1964        Liam Irwin, (Herbertstown), Principal.

1939-1944        Sean Carew, (Dungarvan).

1944-1945        Criostoir O Liathain

1945-1946       Sean O Se, (Ventry, Dingle).

1950 -1963      Margaret Corbett

1964-1967       Sean N. McCarthy, Principal.

1967-1972       Seamus Treacy, (Cappawhite), Principal.

1963-1979       Mona Rice, (Feakle & Hospital).

1969-1976       Margaret Costello, (Rathkeale & Hospital).

1972- 2012       Michael Hennessy (Kilkee &, Emly)

1976- 2011       Marie Hennessy (Bansha & Emly)

1979-  2015     Betty Murphy    (Abington & Herbertstown)

1983-1988       Angela Murphy (Galbally & Kilteely)

1998-2001       Kitty Sheehan, (Cappamore)

2001-               Marie(Coughlan)Collins, (Ballinlough, Kilteely)

2002-2005       Kate Ryan (Doon)(Resource Teacher)

2000 -2004      Marie Ryan(Emly) (Temporary Resource Teacher)

2004-  2013     Geraldine Murphy(Garryspillane) (Special Needs Assistant)

2012 -              Sarah Jones (Herbertstown) (Principal)

2015 -              Amie Hickey (Galbally) (Special Education Teacher) seconded to PDST(2019)

2019 -              Eimear O’ Loughlin (Knockainey) ( Class Teacher)

2019 -              Niall Kearney (Galbally) (Special Education Teacher)

2019 -              Denise Kenny (Cloverfield) (Special Needs Assistant)

2020 -              Annette O’ Dea (Kilteely) (Special Needs Assistant)