Figure 1.-- We believe this was a rural school, but have no idea where it was located in Donegal. The school was a single gender school. Apparently even rural primary schools wre single gender schools, at least in Donegal. All we know for sure is that it was a Donegal school during 1892. Many of the boys wear English-style peaked school caps. Most of the boys wear flannel dresses, many with suit jackets. Most are barefoot. We are not sure when Irish boys began wearing flannel dresses to school or how common it was in the 19th century. It is commonly exolained as an effort by mothers to dusguise boys as girls so the faries would not take them. Apparently the faries were not interested in girls. We note this custom in isolated places during the early-20th century, but not after World War I. Put your cursor on the image to see the rest of the class.

Here we see a group of boys posing in front on their school, somewhere in County Donegal during 1892. Donegal is the northernmost county of Ireland, licated in the northwest of the island and part of the Border Region. Donegal is historically part of the province of Ulster. It is the most rugged and mountainous region of Ulster. but because it is largely Catholic joined the Irish Free State and the subsequently the Irish Free State when Ireland was partitioned. even before partition, Donegal was one of the most rural and undeveloped regions of Ireland. The population was highly dependent on agriculture and to some extent fishing. Donegal was one of the counties hardest hit by the Potato Famine. Whole areas were depoulated. Many of the mostly rural population emigrated to Britain, seeking jobs in the cities, especially Liverpool and Glasgow. Even today the population of the county is only a fraction of what it was in 1840 before the Famine. We believe this was a rural school, but have no idea where it was located in Donegal. The school was a single gender school. Apparently even rural primary schools wre single gender schools, at least in Donegal. The boys here all look to be about the samne age, perhaps 10 years old or so. That means that they were a class group and thst there were several other classess at the school. Many of the boys wear English-style peaked school caps. Most of the boys wear flannel dresses, many with suit jackets. Most are barefoot. We are not sure when Irish boys began wearing flannel dresses to school or how common it was in the 19th century. It is commonly exolained as an effort by mothers to dusguise boys as girls so the faries would not take them. Apparently the faries were not interested in girls. We are not convinced that this was the only reason this custom persisted or how important it was. We note this custom in isolated places during the early-20th century, but not after World War I.

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Created: 2:45 AM 9/18/2011
Last updated: 2:45 AM 9/18/2011