Monreagh School Closes June 24 2011
Monreagh National School opened in 1852. It closed on June 24 2011. In September 2011, pupils will use the new school building across the road. At the of writing - June 2011 - the school has 25 pupils and two teachers. The campaign to have a new school built as the old one is unsuitable and unsafe was started two decades ago. The major problem is that the school is far too close to the road. There were attempts to close the school down and send the pupils to existing schools in St Johnston and Newtown.
The Presbyterian Church donated the site for the new school.
The closure of Taughboyne School and Killea School of Carrigans helped keep Monreagh strong through the years surviving a time when it had just 16 pupils on its rolls. The school is noted for generations of the same family being pupils. Josephine Duncan's daughter Jessica attends the school as did her father Melvin, his mother Isobel. Isobel at 83 is the oldest living pupil. The Department of Education provided 280,000 euro for the new school and funds were raised in the community as well. The current principal is Kerry Harris. The head of the board of management is John McClintock. Rhonda Gillen, Josephine Duncan, Eileen McClintock and Carol Brogan are members of the Parents's Association.
The old school has two classrooms and a multi-purpose room. It will be converted into a Sunday School for Monreagh Presbyterian Church.