Dromtrasna National School Book Launch – Past and Present 1916-2016

Board of Management members Cathy Lenihan, Mary Harnett and Vincent Sheehy, Chairman. Paul Ward Dromtrasna NS Book Launch

Board of Management members Cathy Lenihan, Mary Harnett and Vincent Sheehy, Chairman.
Paul Ward Dromtrasna NS Book Launch

The launch of the Dromtrasna NS book ‘Past and Present’ has taken place, and it costs just €10. It is available through the school and in Abbeyfeale in the following shops: Harnett’s SPAR, O’Donoghue’s SPAR, Ann Lyons’ and Sheehy’s Hardware.

Dromtrasna N.S. engaged in a historical reflection of 1916 and how a community has changed in the last 100 years.

The book has over 150 pages and is effectively half and half on life as it was in 1916 and life as it is in 2016.

For the Past section the school went through its archives and its oldest school roll book and uncovered the names of the 32 pupils who enrolled in 1916. Dromtrasna N.S. had only opened in May 1915. The community traced and chased connections to their past and, sentimentally, of the 32 pupils we had in 1916, (one for every county) and we traced the full history of 16 of them up to 2016.

We are also proud to include stories of the brave men and women who played their part in our fight for freedom and listed some of West Limerick’s war deaths.

The Present includes an Irish Diaspora Project, from Dromtrasna N.S. to our family and friends worldwide, which has shown that a small community of 166 pupils can have a diaspora spread over 27 countries. Looking at the very many cultural emblems inspired one of our classes to look closer at our national symbols which include the harp, the shamrock, the St. Bridget’s Cross, Claddagh, the Celtic Cross and the Celtic Tree of Life. The harp, they mention, appears on passports, on official state seals and documents as well as artwork and posters for the Fleadh By The Feale! They certainly like keeping it local!

This year of commemoration has been significant with the Presentation of the Tricolour by the Defence Forces as well as Proclamation Day and these days are recorded and celebrated in this book.

We hope that through exploring Ireland as it is today, sometimes in this book through the eyes of Ireland’s children, people will be proud of what we are and conclude that Ireland as we know it was definitely worth the fight.

We hope you read our book in memory of those who got us to where we are today and in appreciation, we hope, of what the future holds.

The book was officially launched last Friday, June 10th. There was entertainment at the book launch by Daisy Kearney, and traditional Irish music was provided by award-winning current and past pupils. A very special performance was given by two grandparents, Ned and Séan Foley, who sang a song about the Bomber Liston, who is also featured in the book.

Following the book launch there was an after-school disco and barbecue to celebrate the school’s All-Ireland FAI win. The school were lucky to have won another All-Ireland back in 2003 and 5 of that team came back for an All-Ireland reunion. They are T.J. Murphy, Darragh Murphy, Patrick O’Connor, Scott Fitzgerald amd Micheal Roche, with their then coach Paddy O’Connor and current coach Foxeen Harnett.