Schools in County Offaly

[Highland one]

Could anyone tell me of Schools around County Offaly    Clara or Durrow were possibly where my mum went to School about 1927

[teemac]

Highland One,

I'm from Clara and there would have been a girls convent school in the area (still in existence), there were several other smallers schools around the time also.

I'm not sure about Durrow I imagine they would have had a school there or possibly used local schools in Kilbeggan - which also had a convent school there.

If you contact me with more info I might be able to help you with your query

[Highland one]

Thankyou for your help Teemac ,
All i know is that my family lived in a farm house on Clara road ,i think around the 1920s ,
also had a farm at Kilbeggan or Kildangan ??  possibly before they moved to Clara road .
My family were the Keeney's .. My mum being the oldest , born in 1922 , Monica she had a sister Charlotte & 2 brothers Paddy & Larry .
The Keeney family grave is at Durrow , County Offaly ... The inscription on the gravestone reads ...
In fond memory of Mary Keeney, Ballyduff ,died January 13th 1892 ,(she must have been my great grandmother ) & also my 2 Uncles names are on the stone , My mother is buried in Scotland & my Aunt Charlotte in London . ,Charlotte never married & was a Nurse in London .
The Keeney's also had a general provisions store in Tullamore ...its on the national census 1901 / 1911

[teemac]

Hi  Highland One,

I think the area you are referring to is Kildangan.  It is a townland on the Clara / Tullamore Road. and lies between it and Durrow.  You should be able to find it using Google Maps.

I looked up a irish obituary website www.rip.ie which may be useful when trying to locate extended family members to see if there were any Larry / Paddy Keeney's listed and there was only one - with no family listed.

As there is no census beyond the 1911 census published / available yet I cant see any reference to the family.  You didn't refer to your Grandmothers name - perhaps you could try the 1901/1911 census for her www.census.nationalarchives.ie for further information.

Offaly Historical and Archaeological Society in Tullamore may also be able to help you, but they may charge a fee.

Hope this helps somewhat.

[Highland one]

Thankyou so much for your help , i have been looking on the Irish Census for 1901 /1911
I have'nt a lot to go on but i was told my Grandmothers name was Josephine Leddy
The 1901 Cesus have a  Josephine Leddy in Garrymore Bellananagh Cavan also a  Mary Josephine
  Bective Street, Kells, Meath
The 1911 Census has the same Josephine Leddy from Cavan .
There is also several Keeney's listed on the 1901/1911 Census living in Kings County its just confusing as to who's who , I know they must be my ancestors as i know my mother Aunt & 2 Uncles were from that area & that they were farmers ,
There is a Monica Keeney , my name is Monica Josephine .
I've also discovered i  had a great Aunt who was a nun at poor Clare's in Galway

[brendan thomas]

Keeneys lived in Ballyduff/Kildangan/Coolnahiley up to recent years and those townlands are in Durrow RC Parish so the children are likely to have gone to Durrow National School in those times. There is still a National School in Durrow. I didn't realise there was a connection to business in Tullamore and I will see if I can find anything on that.  Since Ballyduff is only a few miles from Tullamore I have often heard it/the area referred to as 'Clara Road'. I've been out of Ireland for the last couple of years so am a bit rusty on this stuff. Perhaps try a letter to that family name in Coolnahiley, Tullamore, County Offaly.  I don't wish to mention a first name.  Best of luck with your searches.