History

The CBS in 1925

History of the CBS

The CBS was founded in 1849. It began life as a two roomed building.
A further two rooms were added on in the 1890’s. A second storey was added in 1925. A further extension was added in 1986.
The school was a Christian Brothers School until 1986 when the Christian Brothers left New Ross. It is now a Parish School.
Plans are currently under way to amalgamate the CBS with St. Joseph’s Girls’ school and Michael Street Junior Boys’ school on a greenfield site .

Going to School in 1926

Oidí a Chuir mé Aithne Orthu (1971 – 2000)

Cathal Mooney Príomh Oide Scoil Náisiúnta Na mBráithre Chríostaí.

Tháinig mé don chéad lá go scoil Na mBráithe i Ros Mhic Treoin ar an 19ú lá de Mhí Eanáir sa bhliain 1971. Ba é an Br. Long a bhí mar bhainisteoir agus an Br. Mac Aogháin a bhí mar príomh oide sa bhunscoil.
Bhí aithne agam ar oide amháin a bhí sa scoil agus b’in é Seosamh Mac Lochlainn a tháinigh as Port Láirge, áit as a dtáinig mé féin. Tugadh le fios dom go raibh fear eile as Port Láirge tar éis a bheith sa scoil romham go raibh aithne agam air …Nollaig Ó Faoláin. Bhí an bheirt sin sa scoil chéanna liom..scoil na mBráithre i gCnoc Síon i bPort Láirge.
Others who welcomed me on my first day were Frank Murray, now principal in Cushinstown National School, Miriam O Brien, the present deputy principal of the school, Seán McGillicuddy, from Kerry of course, Bro. Jacob, who had a great interest in all kinds of sports, Rory, the school alsatian, and Jackie Stacey my predecessor as principal.
In that same year, 1970, Bro. Darcy arrived in August, while Gerald Mac Donald, fresh from St Patrick’s Training College arrived in July 1971 with Frank Coughlan. At the end of August that same year Bro. Walsh arrived from Waterpark in Waterford. Many years later another teacher, Mr Billy O Shea, would make the same journey. Billy came as principal to the secondary school.
Joe McLoughlin and I took turns to drive from Waterford each morning. In those years 50p worth of petrol was all my Austin A40, which rattled over the old bridge into New Ross, needed for the five days. Of course 50p was called ten shillings and my yearly wage was £1140, nearly £22 a week.
Lunchtime in the school was from 1p.m. until 2p.m. and Jackie, Joe and I had our lunch in the Phoenix Café in Charles Street. If memory serves me right it cost 1/6 (7½p) for the three-course lunch.
I had a first class of 35 boys and we shared a room with Miriam O Brien who taught another first class of 35 boys in the same room. The room was in the prefabricated building known to generations of Rossonians as the “Bantiles”. This meant that there were 70 boys in one room where there are 22 pupils today! The two classes were separated by a line of coathangers but the amount of distraction was enormous. We survived, but the song “Two Little Boys” by Rolf Harris which was a “hit” at that time brings back memories of that crowded room.
In August 1972 Bro. Keegan, of musical fame, was replaced as principal by Bro. Buckley. Bro. Buckley, who came to New Ross from Tramore, and I had senior classes for many years. In those days all the boys for confirmation were assembled on confirmation day in the school yard and marched down to the church. There they were confirmed. Even the teachers did not know who the sponsors were.
Bro. Buckley died tragically in Cnoc Síon last year (1999). Ar dheis Dé go raibh a ainm dhilís.

During that time I remember Bro. Walsh (R.I.P.) painting the “Tin Shed”. He spent many hours with a wire brush on the roof preparing the corrugated iron for painting. He also erected shelving in all the classrooms some of which survives as testimony to his craftsmanship to this day. He spent a lot of his teaching time in New Ross in that shed which was later condemned as a fire hazard. That same shed served as an office for Bro. Buckley and as a staff room for the teachers. The shed is due to be demolished this year.
Mary Fleming, as she was then, arrived from Cnoc Síon on St Bridget’s Day in 1973. Miss Doyle-Fleming, as she is now, has retired to Waterford. 1973 also saw the arrival in New Ross of Mrs Deegan, now our remedial teacher, Patrick Kavanagh, now principal in Barntown national School, and Brother Michael Gleeson, another Waterford man, who was to succeed Bro. Buckley as principal.
This was the golden age of Slógadh and the schools, primary and secondary, won many All-Ireland competitions. It is without exaggeration to state that New Ross Schools, primary and secondary, set the standard for many of the competitions at that time. To have a success in Slógadh at that time other schools had to beat Bro. Gleeson’s choir, Bro. Hurley’s pop groups and Jackie Stacey’s shadow puppets.
1973 saw the departure of Bro. Jacob for Callan, Co Kilkenny and Frank Coughlan.
The following year, 1974 Gerry Mc Donald left for Carrick on Suir and Patrick Kavanagh left for Wexford and four newly trained teachers arrived on the same day…1st July 1974. These were Miss Maura Daly, Mr Brian Mac Mahon, Mr Seán Maloney and Mr Milo Walsh. Maura left in October 1975 for Cork, Seán left for Clongeen Nation School in January 2000 and Brian and Milo, both special duties teachers, are still members of the staff. Around this time Anne Maher from Co. Kilkenny was appointed but after two years she left to go the Cameroons.
Mary Walsh who only stayed a short time arrived at the school in August 1976.
The next teachers to join the staff were Ms. Mary Carroll and Ms. Angela Ruth who were appointed in September 1979. Mary went back to Kerry after a short time. Mr Ivan Dungan who left the school in Jan 2000 to teach in Enniscorthy was appointed in 1981. Then Mrs. Elma Lambe arrived and she departed to Enniscorthy in 1991.
Bro. Gleeson, now retired to Cnoc Síon in Waterford succeeded Bro. Buckley as principal of the school and he in turn was replaced by Bro. Carroll. By this time (1983) the staff was joined by Bro. Cahill who was very interested in GAA. His “Overheard” column was published in the New Ross Standard for many months.
In 1986 Ms Anne Stephenson arrived and taught in the school until August 1992.
The new toilet block was built in 1988. I remember my fundraising effort was to run in the Dublin City Marathon and this effort raised £1,000 which was presented to Mr Jackie Stacey (Principal) in Jan 1989. The new block was opened by Minister Mary O’Rourke in January 1991.
The Christian Brothers left new Ross in 1989 and a new era dawned with the appointment of the first lay principal, Mr John Stacey (Jackie). Jackie had been acting – principal for some time following the departure of Bro. Carroll. Mr Mark Minihan was appointed first lay Chairperson of the Board of Management of the New Ross National School (C.B.N.S.)
Mr Colm Ó Tiarnaigh joined the staff in 1989 for a short while and was replaced by Mary Lawlor (1990) who is at present teaching in Kilmore Central School.
Ms Kay Grace was the next appointment (1991) and she is at present teaching in Cushinstown National School.
Ms Michele Quinlivan who had joined the staff as a temporary teacher is now our Resource Teacher for Travellers.

The present (Mar 2000) staff of the school is Cathal Mooney, Principal, Mrs Miriam O’Brien, Deputy Head, Mrs Maria Deegan, Remedial Teacher and Special Duties Teacher, Brian MacMahon Special duties Teacher, Mr Milo Walsh, Special Duties Teacher, Ms Angela Ruth, Ms Michele Quinlivan, Resource Teacher for Travellers, Mr Martin Sprice, Mr Emmett Breathnach. There are also two temporary teachers working in the school and these are Ms Gina Cullen and Ms Jacqueline McKevitt.