Kilnamarytra National School ( Scoil Naisiunta Cill na Martra)

Our district, Kilnamartyra lies 48 km due west of Cork city . A small monastic settlement founded by St Lachteen survived his death in 622 AD and in fact lasted until its destruction by Cronwellian forces in 1650 . It suffered a viking raid in 832 AD which left it in a sorry state but it was subsequently restored and continued as a place of pilgrimage . The church was known as Cill na Martra [called the "Church of the Human Relic" as Lachteens hand was preserved in a shrine as an object of veneration. This name is now applied to our district and village in which the school is situated

School Fact File

1. Name:

Kilnamarytra National School ( Scoil Naisiunta Cill na Martra)

2. Location:

Quarter of a mile west of Kilnamartyra village on right hand side of a narrow road .

3. Site

Two and a half acres. In front there is a tarmac playground which contains a basketball court. West side consists of a footbal pitch. Behind the school is a running track which is higher by thre metres than the front. It is one hundread metres long and twenty metres wide.

4. Building

Built:1986. Facing south and is 29 metres long. It has three classroms each with three windows one and a half metres square and an A roof. Each classroom is 8.5 metres by 7.5 metres, has three windows and 3 large skylights. It also has a sink and worktop at the rear and 2 toilets.
At the East side of the school we have a large P.E. Room, which measures 16 metres by 7.

5 Size

On Rolls:
80 children 46 boys and 35 girls.

Kathleen Long lives in Lisacreasig which is 2 miles away from school and teaches infants.
Sean Moynihan lives in Coolavokig which is 3 miles away from school and he teaches 1,2,3.
Daithi Mc Sweeney lives in Cahirdaha which is nearby and teaches 4,5,6.

6 Equipment:

4 computers and 1 printer .A P.C. 386, an I.B.M.286, a Macintosh and a B.B.C. We have a wide range of books and enyclopedia such as the Childrens Brittanica. We have maps of  Kilnamartyra, Ireland, Europe, England, and the World. We alos have a television set, a video recorder, and a camcorder. We have P.E. eqimpment such as bars and benches .

7 School Activties

Games/ Athletics Basketball , Football , Volleyball athletics  Cork sports Every year sports we compete against the best in the county schools Championships .This year we won the relay cup in the girls section. .

Blitz

Teams from Kilnamartyra , Clondrohid , Kilbarry, Inchigeela, Rusheeen, Renaniree, Ballyvourney, and Ballingeary compete in a 7 a side blitz. Games 7 minutes a side.

School tour:

Every year our teachers and third,  fourth, fifth, and sixth classes go on a school tour to Cork, Kerry, Clare, and Dublin in turn.This four year cycle mans that each child visits all these places.

8. Transport

One bus travels 6 miles from Macroom, along the ridge bringing eleven pupils. Another bus arrives from Coolavokig on the Nothern ridge and 17 pupils travel on it. The buses arrive at the school at 9.05 and at 3.05. 48 children are brought to school in cars.

9. Outlook

Many mountains are visible on our sky line.... these are the main peaks. Kerry Paps. ...2300 feet North West......Mullaghnish...2200 feet...North west by North Mushera More ....North East....2000 feet Sheha Mountain.... South West 2000 feet Douce ..South West 1900 feet Doohill South west by west.....1900 feet All these are between 7 and 10 miles from our school.

10. Computers:

We have four computers in school.A PC PRO 386 SX , with 100 Mb Hard Disk, with 2,400 Baud internal modem, and a hand-held scanner. An IBM 286 PSI, with 32 Mg HD, and a PSI Printer. A Macintosh S E and a BBC Compact, with a 9pin Star printer. Our principal cimouetr, the 386 has Windows 3.1 installed, with Microsoft Works for windows and a desktop publishing programme. Ms Works is also installed in the 286. These programmes enable us to write, edit, save , retrive and print files. We have approximately 300 files in ourcomputers- most of which concern school work. We also have games, such as draughts, chess, world Quiz, link Four, and solitaire.

Fact File on Kilnamartyra

1 Name: Kilnamartyra (Cill na Martra ...The Church of the Human Relic)

2 Location:

Kilnamartyra is situated in County Cork, 30 miles west of Cork city on the N.22. And 6 miles beyond Macroom on the N 22. Killarney is 25 miles further on the same road.

3 Size

24 Square miles ....6 miles East/West and 4 miles North/South.

4 Physical Features:

East/West Ridge and valley country. Central Ridge...rising to 600 /700 feet above sea level. Macroom ..6 miles East of vllage on this ridge.

The Sullane river valley North/ Toone river valley South (Min. height 250 feet above sea level.) Another parallel ridge north of the Sullane, runs from Macroom westwards for 8 miles.

5 Roads / Village

N22 -runs along Sullane river valley and another runs along a tributary in same valley.

Top road runs on central ridge from Macroom, though the Kilnamartyra village , and westwards for 4 miles.

Toon road runs along Toon river east/west forming the southern boundary. Narrow winding North/South link roads join those mentioned above.

Kilnamartyra village is situated, at 567 feet above sea level, between two hills on the main ridge. A typical small rural village, it consists of 3 shops, 2 public houses, a ca  6 Houses: There are 175 houses in Kilnamartyra 111 of them are farmhouses of which 8 are new . The  typical farmhouse is two storey,stone built, and slated, having 3 rooms downstairs and 3/4 bedrooms upstairs. A rear extension, built around 1960, incorporates a bathroom.

There are 64 dwelling houses of which 38 are new. 18 are new bungalows and the rest are two storey. 65% have electric cookers and 45% have gas cookers.Most people have a fridge and one freezer to keep their food fresh. Many families have central heating and oil heating in their homes too.

6 Religion

Almost all the population, 96%, is Roman Catholic There are two priest in Kilnamartyra Church. Fr O Connor PP and Fr Mc Carthy CC. Both live in the village St. Lachteens Church is situated in the village, having been built in 1839.
Sunday masses are at 8.30am and 11.30am . Week day masses are usually at 10.00 am or 8.00 pm
First Communion is received by First Class the Saturday before Corpus Christi.
Confirmation is administered in May, on alternate years, by Bishop John Magee, bishop of Cloyne.

7 Population

Total:630
Groups:
Young People:185 / Professional:18 / Non Wage Earners:195 Workers:81 / Skilled:18 / Buisness\Self employed:120

8 Land

There are 108 farms in Kilnamartyra school area. The average farm is 70 acres 50% of the land is arable, 34% is reclaimed and 16% is rough land. Most farmers are involved in dairying. Average herd-size is about 30 cows, mainly Friesian. Land is entirely devoted to grassland..pasture and forage. No cereals are grown in the area..

9 Industry

2 Stake factories
[1] Trees are felled in the forest
[2] The logs are transported to the factory
[3] The logs are peeled and pointed.
[4] Stakes are treated with preservative

Toy soldier factory
[1] Miniture figures are designed and sold.
[2] Kits, including moulds are also marketed.
[3] World wide markets have been secured
[4] 20 people are employed
[5] Lars Edman, a Swede, is the owner.

P C Pro Computers
[1] Assembles and markets personal computers
[2] Also sells modems/cd roms /printers etc.
[3] employs 6 people
[4] Shares a building in the village with above.

Donncha O Laoire
[1] Fitted furniture manufacturer
[2] Employs 3 local workers.

10. Services.

Electrical Contractor : Domestic appliances/ wiring / industrial.
Garage : General servicing, reconditioning and damage repairs,
Tyres sold...no petrol or diesel sales.
Waste Disposal: Collection on alternate Saturdays
Hairdressing: Usual service
Transport: Weekly return service to Macroom on Thursdays
Daily return service to Cork on N 22 8.30 / 5.45

2 Private coach operators ..Ballymakeera 5 miles
Weekend bus to disco in Kenmare, Co. Kerry.

2 Agricultural Contractors: 3
Round baling / silage cutting / lime spreading / slurry spreading /ploughing / fertiliser spreading / cultivating
2 Building Contractor: Mainly Houses / extensions / repairs / farm buildings
Machinery Repairs etc: Tyres /Tractors/ machinery/ cars / 4 wheel drives
Postal services Daily delivery 8.45 local post office, collection 15.45

11 Pastimes

Gaelic Football : Junior A / B teams / Under 21 / under 12 / Under 16 / Under 18 Minor Soccer: No club, or teams, just for fun. Indoor in the hall Hurling: No Teams Played in Football Pitch Indoor Soccer: No Teams Played in Community Centre Badminton :Played in Community Centre Athletics Running Track / training for sports   Jogging : Casual / not very popular Walking: People usually walk alone or in pairs along the roads... a recent development.. Handball : Played in handball alley behind dressing rooms. Bowling : Road bowling is played in this district competitively and for pleasure.

12. Sports Facilities

New football pitch in Kilnamartyra.: There are three dressingrooms in the grounds and there is a handball alley at the back.

The comunity centre: We play indoor soccer and badminton. It is also used for discoes/concerts/plays/ a pre-school/and art classes