EXTENSION 1: NEW LAVATORIES

A square of small cottages close to the school was acquired and the inhabitants helped to find new homes in Malone Gardens and elsewhere. The Sisters provided deposits for these new homes which allowed people to find more spacious homes without having to leave the area.

The first extension was built on the site of these vacated cottages, a set of badly needed lavatories. Work on these outdoor lavatories began on May 21st 1931 and was completed the following year. Indoor lavatories replaced them years later.

EXTENSION 2: A NEW SCHOOL

On May 21st 1932, the long overdue extension to the school was begun and completed in January 1933.

This redbrick building occupies the area adjacent to the original building and includes the space of the old cottages.

While the new and the old form one building, it is easy to distinguish the old one, in yellow Dolphin Barn brick, from the new one in red brick.

This new school was welcome indeed. The nine months of waiting imposed many difficulties. The overcrowding necessitated two classes in each of the large rooms, downstairs and upstairs. In each room there were two sets of six or seven long desks, which seated ten pupils at times, in an uncomfortable position without the aid of a back to the seat. This situation made life difficult indeed for both teacher and pupil.

The new extension was opened in January 1933 and was later blessed by Rev. Con Skehan C.C. who was Chaplain to the school for many years in the ‘20s and ‘30s.

STAFF

At this time Sr. Cuthbert Ryan was Principal for many years and was mainly responsible for the building of the new school. On her staff she had:

• Srs. M. S.Sebastian Kennedy, Fidelis Kearney, Marie Celine McHale, Emerentia Mahon, Juliana O'Brien, M. Lorcan O'Toole, Ildephonsus O'Donovan, and Marie Therese Healy.

Ms. Flynn,a newly trained teacher, joined the staff in 1931. She replaced Sr. Marie Therese Mealy who transferred to the new schools just opened in Homefarm Road, Drumcondra. She was the first lay teacher on the staff and taught there until her retirement.

Three other lay teachers soon joined the staff: Ms. Cait Ryder, Ms. Peig Buckley and Ms. Blake. Sr. M Lorcan was transferred to Mullinavat in 1934 and was replaced by Ms-Sheila Kelleher.

When Sr. Juliana died in 1939 Ms. Sal Brereton was appointed to the staff. She entered Holy Faith in 1941. In the 1970’s she was Regional Superior and a member of the General Council.

The Story of St. Brigid's School Haddington Rd.

THE BEGINNING In 1902, Canon Dillon, with £500 legacy bequeathed to him for the purpose and largely augmented from his own resources and those of the Holy Faith Sisters, built St. Brigid's School on a site reserved for the building since 1850. St. Brigid's School was formally opened on Monday August 18th 1902. Fr. Lube C.C. blessed the new school on Friday, October 3rd 1902. The three Holy Faith Sisters who opened the school were: SRS. M.D. De Sales Kane, Antonia Moynihan, and Emelian Really. Sr. M.D.De Sales was local superior and Principal of St. Brigid's. From a journal kept by the Sisters we learn that there were sixty-eight children present, including thirty boys who had been brought in from the Boys' School by Fr. Wall C.C. and the headmaster of the National School. On the first page of the School Journal is the sad record of the death of Canon Dillon on Saturday 16th April 1904.

This school, like all Holy Faith schools of that period, was not under the control of the National Board but was staffed by the Sisters, who depended on their private school fees and voluntary subscriptions for finance. Teaching methods and books used were usually the same as those of Christian Brothers' Schools. It continued thus until 1918 when religion could be taught without restriction.

THE FIRST PUPILS

The first group of children, ten girls and nine boys made their First Confession in May 1903. In May 1904 seven children were confirmed among them were: Mary Campbell, Fanny Jordan, Sarah Manning, Mary Johnson, Kathleen Wilson, Mary Ennios and Margaret Manning.

On Sunday, Feast of the Patronage of St. Joseph, May 14th 1905, this group of children received their First Holy Communion.

First Confession and First Communion groups were small in the early years, and there were three or four groups each year. However in 1914 there were 127 children in a group. From that on there were big numbers once a year.

It is interesting to note the yearly increase in numbers presented:

March 1904	172
March 1905	212
March 1910	316
March 1927	483

In 1930 there were 530 pupils on the rolls.

The growth in the numbers may be accounted for partly by the fact that extensive building had taken place in areas close by: O'Connell Gardens, Malone Gardens, Bath Ave, Derrynane Gardens, Pembroke Gardens, Vavasour Square, and Lansdowne Park.

By 1931 numbers had outgrown accommodation available and an extension to the school was essential.