Due to John O�Hare�s initiative, a class for manufacturing hosiery was established at Carrick School. And an instructress was employed for teaching all kinds of machine-knitting. Financial assistance for the project was obtained from the Department of Agriculture, - the only one of its kind in Ireland, for which a grant was given!

Two other principals, who also died prematurely were Arthur Bradley and Patsy McArdle, both accomplished sportsmen. A native of Clontifleece, where his father had been school principal, Arthur Bradley played for St Peter�s GFC squad, Warrenpoint. His brother, Ted, was principal of St Peter�s Primary School in the �Point, Kevin was Sports Master at St Joseph�s High School in Newry, while another brother is Dr Liam Bradley. Two sisters are Geraldine and Moira, both also teachers.

Mrs Margaret Harty, who served as vice-principal, has researched the history of Carrick School, having spent 32 years on the staff, and has produced the definitive history of St Mary�s Parish. She has also been organist and choir-mistress at St Mary�s Church for 44 years.

Along with Vincent McGovern, she founded the Burren Heritage Centre, reconstructed from the original Carrick National School, with a grant from the International Fund for Ireland. It contains a fascinating array of artefacts, from various historical sites in the locality, dating back to neoelithic, Stone Age, Bronze Age and early Christian settlements.

An important role has been played by Bill O�Reilly, acting principal at nearby St Mark�s High School, who has a degree in archaeology, and is a brother-in-law of Margaret Harty. It is hoped to revive the popular Historic Walks.

A past pupil of Carrick School, Mrs Harty resides on the Burren Road, daughter of Ballymartin builder, Patrick Higgins and married to former Newry coal-importer, Pat Harty. Her brother, Kilian Higgins, a teacher at the Abbey CBS, is well-known in folk music circles, while Patrick is an insurance broker. Of four sisters, Mary is a music teacher, Bridghe is in the Department of Home Economics at St Mark�s High School, Eileen is in South Africa, while Josephine resides in Canada.

Incidentally, Margaret�s father-in-law, Vivion Harty, was chairman of the Carlingford Lough Commission. He was also a member of Newry Urban Council�s Finance Committee, which provided funds for the new Daisyhill Hospital, where his grandson, John Harty is a Consultant. John�s brother, Patrick is a partner in FPM�s accountants, while Cormac is an insurance broker.

From Mrs Harty�s research, it is interesting to note that, when a local curate, Fr Patrick Murphy, requested permission to build Carrick School in 1839, he was supported by a Presbyterian minister, Rev Samuel Arnold. A petition was also signed by three prominent Catholic and Protestant laymen.

Indeed, the school catered for both Catholic and Protestant, up to the 1950�s, when the Protestant pupils enrolled at the Dromore Road Primary School in Warrenpoint.

Attendance at school was very poor in the early years, as most of the older pupils were needed to help on the family farms; and the younger ones were unable to make the journey to school on their own. An Inspector�s Report in 1856 referred to the lack of a blackboard, - this did not arrive until six years later.

The teachers� salaries depended on the number of pupils present. And so, often the roll was not called until the afternoon, in the hope that a few more children might turn up. Disaster would strike if the Inspector arrived at 11 am, and the roll had not been called.

As Margaret Harty noted: �If the weather was inclement, there was no fire and no fuel. Pens and ink were provided, but there were many blots. Was it any wonder, with sub-zero temperatures. No doubt, there were many chilblains on the children�s fingers. These were the girls and boys, born during or just after the famine.

�By 1870, things had improved generally, and the Inspector reported that the literacy standard was higher. However, a new Inspector was appointed, - a �holy terror,� - who visited Carrick School every month. At one inspection, there were only 31 pupils present.�

Finally, the historian wrote: �This is a story of struggle and hardship, but also the success of a school and community, far beyond the dreams of those early Carrick teachers and scholars. We can reflect with pride and compassion on their endurance and perseverance.�

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