Hedge Schools

Hedge Schools

There was a great desire among the common people to have their children educated. Hedge schools were set up in remote spots, usually, in barns or outhouses and also in hedgerows. The children would gather in a selected place, always keeping a watch for any officials who may find them. If found, the teacher could be fined or imprisoned.

Corr’s Field

It is known that Thomas Duggan Snr. often spoke of a hedge school which was held in a field called “Corrs field” and it is thought that that this field was situated at the back of the Flynn family home and land at Cottage, Barnaderg. He attended this Hedge school as a young lad. He was a mainly self-educated man and read a broad range of anything he could come across – books and newspapers. He head a thirst for knowledge about world news and politics in particular.

Letter from Thomas Duggan Snr. to his son in America

There is a letter written from him to his son in America on 8th February, 1933. The handwriting and wording is worth looking at and it is interesting to read his affectionate and eloquent words to his son who with three sons, emigrated to America. A copy of this letter has been made available by his grand-daughter Mary Ellen Burke, Gurranecoyle, as the original is in the safe keeping of the Duggan family in America. It was a great treasure to him when he was presented with a wireless from his son in America, one of the very first in the village. He then had access to an even wider range of the spoken word.

^1. Information from grand-daughter Mary Ellen Burke re Thomas Duggan Snr., Tygreenane who as a boy attended a hedge school.

https://killererin.galwaycommunityheritage.org/content/people/emigration/letter-father-son-1933Letter from Thomas Duggan Senior to his son in America