School History
The Barnaderg Castle
Barnaderg Castle was built in medieval times by Malachy O’ Kelly. He was married to Fionnuala O’ Connor, daughter of Cathal Craobh Dearg O’ Connor. They probably lived in a fort in the area. Both are buried in Abbeyknockmoy. In 1677 all the lands of Barnaderg and Abbeyknockmoy were given to an Englishman named Nicholas Browne – about 2000 acres altogether. Some of the stone from Barnaderg Castle was used to build his house at Moyne Park.
We can see Barnaderg castle from our school yard, and Mr. Mulryan's class have a great view of the castle and the turlough beside the castle all day long! Mr. Mulryan's class use binoculars regularly to identify and record the wildlife in the tulough. We are very lucky to have a castle so close to the school. The senior classes go on a walk up to the castle and around the turlough almost every year.
Barnaderg Castle was the principal seat of the O'KELLY'S of Hy-many {Immane, Ummane}. The two adjoining townlands are Immane-Beg and Immane-more. Their territory was very extensive extending to near Dunmore and Castlerea. They had many castles. Our castle was built in medieval times. The O'Kelly's were famous for their hospitalityand the phrase "Failte Ui Cheallaigh" is still used.
The castle was probably 37 feet by 25 feet and 48 feet high. It has excellent preservation. There were four stores and a garret. The thickness of the east wall was four and a half feet, the west five and a half. The Castle is situated on a mound of about one third of an acre. The Castle is approached by a raised causeway in which there is said to have been a drawbridge.
The Barnaderg Crest
The Barnaderg crest represents our school and our parish. The flower on the right hand side of the crest is called the tormentil. It can be found in the local bog and was used as a treatment for diseases of the stomach in medieval times. The three stars which are on the left hand side of the crest represent the three prophets revered by the Carmelite Order whose 12th century monastery is situated at Creevaghbawn.  These three stars originally formed part of the Carmelites' own crest. The window which is on the lower part of the crest represents the mullioned window which is on the left hand side of the O’ Kelly castle. We are very proud to have this historic crest and we are glad to have it to represent our school and our parish. Lots of schools around Ireland have their own crest but I’m very happy to have the Barnaderg crest.
The History of Barnaderg Village
The Village of Barnaderg looked much the same back in the 1930s and 1940s as it does today. The shops have changed owners and there are some new houses. Our Centra Supermarket was a shop and the post office was owned by the Fahy family. There were two more shops, one  owned by Mrs.Fagan and the other by the Joyner family. Mrs Fagan's shop was a sweet shop and if you brought her your old copy books, she would make a cone from the paper and fill it up with sweets. Keane’s was another general shop on the Dublin Road as you leave the village. It sold everything, but children frequented it especially for "bull's eyes" and when the sweet can became empty somebody would be glad to use it to take to Keane's Well for spring water or to use it for milking a cow. Recycling is not new! The two pubs were in the village and they also sold groceries. There was a market house where the grotto stands today.People brought potatoes and vegetables and oats to be weighed and to use to pay as rent to the landlord, John A. Kirwin who had it erected.
Boys and Girls and Barnaderg National School in the 1960s
The old school has now been transformed into the Killererin Community Centre.The teachers in the 1930s were Miss. Delaney and her sister Mrs O'Sullivan and her husband Mr. O' Sullivan. They moved here from Cork. Miss Delaney’s house is where Wilsons' house is now. This building started off as a school which was built in 1841.This is a photo of the school founded in 1894 . Miss Florence O'Sullivan taught here for forty years.
