Figure 1.--This photograph shows the Coleraine Academical Institution in 1875 with the pupils lined up outside. |
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We have virtually no information on clothes worn at Irish schools during the 19th Century. England was one of the last major western European countries to establish free public education. Many of the wealthy elite was concerned that education would cause the poor to become disasisfied with the existing social order. Of course such cocerns were even stronger in Ireland where English landlords had been killed by disgruntled tennants. Thus even less attention was given to public education in Ireland. We have begunn to develop some informtion, but our rchive is still very limited.
We have found very few Irish school imahes from the 19th century. We do note a rural primary school in Donrgal during 1892. It looks to be fom a fairly isolated rural community. Here we see the Coleraine Academical Institution in 1875 (figure 1).
School clothes were probably quite different at state and private schools.
I do not believe that Irish boys wore uniforms at state schools. As in England the state school system was only beginning to form in the 19th century. By the late 19th century there were state schools throufgout Ireland and most boys were receiving at least a few years of elementary education. Some photographs showing the boys wearing their normal everyday clothes. Boys in rural areas still often one-piece dressess to school. These dresses, often referred to as petticoats, were often worn under boyish looking jackets. This practice did not finally disappear until after World War I (1914-18) in the 20th Century.
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Private preparatory and secondary schools were established in Ireland. Most closely followed English patterns and adopted English school uniforms. As in England boys would attend local private schools or dame schools until about 8 years of age. At 8 they would attend preparatory schools. Aflluent boys would often attend boarding schools. Boys with English parents might be sent to English prep schools. There were as far as we can tell no state secondary schools in Ireland during the 19th century. All secondary schools were private. There were exclusive public schools as in England. There were also day schools in the larger cities. Boys dressed formally, but there does not seem to have been actual uniforms.
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