Thomas Fegan National School teacher

[PMG04]

Thomas Fegan
I am hoping to obtain some biographical information on Thomas Fegan of Rostrevor, Co Down. He appears in the 1901 census –   http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Rosstrevor/Bridge_Street/1237244/

And he appears again in the 1911 census in Co Tyrone, where he was teaching –
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Tyrone/Munterevlin/Ardean/857430/

I am researching the history of Moortown Primary School, Ardboe, Co Tyrone. Thomas Fegan was principal of the boys’ school from 1908, until possibly 1914. I would be grateful for any information concerning him.
Attached photograph, taken in 1911, includes teachers Mary O’Neill and Master Fegan       

[gaffy]

The census information points to a marriage of Thomas Fegan to Mary Doherty on 23 July 1901 in Newry RC  Church, her father was Cornelius Doherty.

[gaffy]

There's a Peter Fegan/Fagan married to Rose Fegan/Fagan with family in the Rostrevor area around the right timeframe which seems to fit.

For example, is this Elizabeth in the 1901 census?

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FR9G-KLN

A search of the RootsIreland website index brings back a Kilbroney RC parish baptism for a Thomas Fegan to this couple in 1861.

Not to be mixed up with the Peter and Rose Fegan/Fagan in Dundalk, Louth around the same time.

[dathai]

There is a section here on the forum for restoration of photographs would you not post the photo on there as they do some brilliant cleaning up jobs on them.

[rathmore]

have you written to the Local council or any of the papers.

have you seen these photos onf facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/ardbowtyrone

this site might beable to help you or put your photo and there site.
 you could write to the primary schools in Ardboe

http://www.stpeters.moortown.ni.sch.uk/contact/index.htm

[rathmore]

sorry should be

http://www.facebook.com/ardboetyrone

[TF13]

Hi,   I can tell you when Master Fegan died;

http://applications.proni.gov.uk/DCAL_PRONI_WillsCalendar/willsSearchResultsDetails.aspx

this is his probate:- Fegan Thomas of Rostrevor county Down retired national school teacher died 3 June 1929 Probate Belfast 22 September to Thomas Doyle farmer. Effects £21.

He was 67 at time of death,retired national school teacher, married and his address was given as Syenite Place, Rostrevor. ( Syenite place can still be found on google maps). Cause of death involved influenza but I cant make out the rest of it.

The informant, present at death, is hard to read. It's "something" P. Fegan,brother, Mayobridge County Down. What I "believe" it says, though I could be wrong here, is Pierce P. Fegan because there was a national school teacher of that name in Mayobridge who died in 1937.
Hope it helps,
Tony

[PMG04]

I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to seek out and provide information on Thomas Fegan, national school teacher. There have been no false leads and everything helps to create a more rounded profile of the man who taught in Moortown school for a few brief years, just over 100 years ago.
I guess I should have added, in my initial query, that I live in Moortown (in Ardboe parish, Co Tyrone) and that I am very well acquainted with the primary school whose history I am researching for a publication. There are no roll books or general registers – relating to Master Fegan’s period, from 1906 to possibly 1913 – in the school or in PRONI.
Nor have I ever seen a mention of him in the East Tyrone weekly newspaper, the Mid-Ulster Mail, during those years. Usually national teachers are prominent at concerts and other fund-raising events run by the parish and by other organisations, but Master Fegan seems to have been of a self-effacing or private nature. 
Attached picture shows Moortown parochial hall, which was the school from 1860 to 1914, and in which Master Fegan taught. Part of the present school can be seen left background.