Folklore informs us that Darby Dunne taught in a Hedge School in the Ballinamere area in the 19th century. His school was located about 150 metres from where the new school stands.
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The first state run national school in the immediate area was Ballycowan School which was on the banks of the Grand Canal between Ballycowan Bridge and Ballycowan Castle. This school had an average of 45 pupils with a Mr. Nealon as Principal. The school closed in 1910 when the children moved up to Ballykilmurray school.
Ballykilmurray school was a two teacher school with Mrs. Rose Horan as Principal and Miss Killeavy as assistant. The school had a separate playground for girls and boys. Mrs. Horan was replaced as Principal by Mr. Donal Brady in 1952. This school closed in 1966 when a new three teacher school was built on the present site in Ballinamere.
Ballinamere School was extended in 1973 when an extra classroom and a G.P. room were built. By 1977 there were six teachers on the staff. Around this time the first of the dreaded prefabs arrived on site. These prefabs were to dominate the school landscape for the next 28 years. Mr. Donal Brady left Ballinamere National School in 1980 to become Principal of the newly opened Scoil Eoin Phóil in Tullamore. His wife, Mary Brady, then assumed the role of Principal. Both Donal and Mary retired from their respective positions in 1987 when Larry Fleming was appointed Principal of Ballinamere National School. The school soon grew to eight teachers and plans for a new school or extension were mooted in the 1990’s. The new Ballinamere N.S. comprising of 8 mainstream classes and a 2 classroom Autism Centre (The Esker Centre) was officially opened on December 12th 2005. In September 2013 a third Autism classroom was opened. 2014 brought further changes with the retirement of Larry Fleming and the appointment of Deirdre Cusack to the role of Principal. From here the school will hopefully continue on its path of providing high quality education within a supportive school community.
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