The following book is for those people interested<br>in the development of education in Ireland over the<br>last 150 years, together with aspects of genealogy,<br>archaeology, history and sociology. Presented in<br>the setting of a small west of Ireland parish, the<br>book "A Look At A School And Its Parish" (the Gaelic<br>subtitle is Súil thart ar Scoil agus a Paróiste),<br>was published as part of the 1997 centenary celebrations<br>of Kilteevan National School, in the county of Roscommon.<p>The seven separate sections explore the interplay between<br>a people and their native place, centred on their school,<br>but taking in the broader dimensions of sport, drama and<br>the arts. Townlands, placenames and surnames are recorded and explained (there are registers of parish names from the 1830s, 1850s and 1880s onwards), as well as other<br>aspects of local history including the story of the<br>Mapother family (the ancestors of Hollywood star,Tom Cruise) and archaeological remains dating from as early as 365BC. The weather conditions of 100 years ago even get a mention.<p>It is a book that can serve as a template for anybody<br>thinking about recording the story of their own parish.<p>It will also strike a chord with many the Irish emigrant<br>(just substitute your own parish name!). As one emigrant<br>school teacher from Kilteevan wrote in the 19th century<br>"But still in whatever strange lands I'll sojourn, My<br>heart will go back to the Groves of Kilteevan.".<p>- - - - - - - -<br>A Look At A School And Its Parish<br>(Súil thart ar Scoil agus a Paróiste)<br>Softback (illustrated) 248 pages<br>Editor Hazel A. Ryan<br>ISBN 0 9530923 0 5<p>Details from WJRYAN@TINET.IE<p>
<br>
<br><hr size=7 width=75%><p>
wjryan@tinet.ie