National School (Ireland) - History

History

National schools, established by the British Government with the Stanley Letter in 1831, were originally multi-denominational, with a six-member board of two Roman Catholics, two Church of Ireland, and two Presbyterians. There was strict delimitation between religious and non-religious education, where the teacher had to declare that religious education was beginning, hang a sign on the wall indicating that religious education was in process, and remove all religious symbols and objects from sight when religious education finished. Also, parents had the right to remove their children from this period of religious education if it conflicted with their religious beliefs. Lastly, schools who failed to abide by these rules or who refused admissions of different faiths to the patron were denied state funding. These rules largely remain in place today, but are no longer well recognised by the State, the patron bodies, or the general public.

In the nineteenth century, in a climate of historical animosity between the churches, the multi-denominational system was strongly opposed: the established church (Protestant Church of Ireland), though the church of the minority, held a special position and a right to government support in promoting Protestantism. Both the Roman Catholic Church, which was emerging from a period of suppression, and the Presbyterians, who had also suffered under the penal laws, had sought state support for schools of their own tradition. In particular Bishop James Doyle was an early proponent, seeking to improve on the informal hedge school system.

In the second half of the nineteenth century, first the Catholic Church, and later the Protestant churches conceded to the state, and accepted the "all religions together" legal position. The result was that by the end of the nineteenth century the system had become increasingly denominational, with individuals choosing to attend schools primarily catering to children of their own religion. However, the legal position de jure, that all national schools are multi-denominational, remains to this day. Although, since the establishment of the Free State consistent pressure has been exerted by the Catholic Church to drop the multi-denominational legal position, this has never been conceded by the state. A report was submitted to government in 1953 showing more than 90% of the schools were attended by only one denomination - that most National Schools were de facto denominational. Changes in the Rules for National Schools were introduced in 1965 and 1973 allowing for the first time integration of religious education into the curriculum. Today, following many years of immigration for the first time in Ireland, a large majority of the National Schools cater for more than one religion. Today National Schools are both de jure and de facto multi-denominational.