Scoil Náisiúnta Muire gan Smál, Cartown

The Original Sandpit School

The photo on the left shows what is now called Sandpit Hall. This was the original "Sandpit National School" and was operative as a school until 1956 when the new building was completed. Sandpit hall now houses a local pre-school.

The New Building...S.N. Muire gan Smál

The photo on the right shows our school building in 1956 as construction neared completion. The school was opened to local students later that year.

Milestones of Scoil Náisiúnta Muire gan Smál, formerly known as Sandpit School...

1837; The earlist evidence of a schoolhouse in Sandpit is from an application to the Board of Education. This school with 2 rooms appears to be the same building which stands at Sandpit Hall today. A Mr. McCabe was the first teacher here.

1846; Pat McKernan was appointed and there were 80 boys and 60 girls enrolled in the school.

1881; Many teachers were employed in Sandpit School over the intervening years. In 1881 Miss Alice Malone was appointed and remained until 1912.

1914; Alice McGlew was appointed and went on to teach generations of children before retiring in 1950.

1917; Gertie Murphy joined Alice McGlew on the staff as a teaching assistant and remained there until retiring in 1962.

1950; Bernard Long succeeded Ms. McGlew and taught in Sandpit for 2 years.

1952; Tommy Simpson succeeded Mr. Long and he remained teaching in Sandpit for 20 years.

1956; The school transferred from the old building to the new purpose built school in Sandpit where the school has remained since.

1972; Teacher Anne Conboy replaces Mr. Simpson.

1979; Gerry Campbell from Drogheda succeeded Anne Conboy and is the current principal.

1988; A telephone is installed in the school.

1990's; Computers introduced to the school. The number of pupils on roll was growing steadily from year to year and more teachers were being employed. More accomodation was needed and eventually 3 new classrooms and a General Purpose room were built. In 1993 a school uniform was introduced and in 1995 the school tracksuit was introduced.

2000's; The school received a very generous gift from our neighbouring farmer, Jim Flynn who offered a site adjacent to the school for our use. It is now used as the school football field and it also allowed for the successful extension of the school in 2005 - 2006 which granted us a new General Purpose room, 2 new classrooms, an office, staffroom, library and 2 resource rooms.