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Original school desk, Scoil Bhríde Ranelagh 1917

"Oidhreacht oideachais ar leith atá ag Scoile Bhríde a théann siar go dtí tús an chéid seo caite beagnach. In 1917 a osclaíodh Scoile Bhríde. Ba í an cheád scoil lán-Ghaelach sa tír í. Dosaen scoláire bhí ar an rolla an chéad lá. In Uimhir 70, Faiche Stiabhna a bhí an scoil lonnaithe. Louise Gavan Duffy Teach ársa a bhí ann. Luíse Ghabhánach Ní Dhufaigh (1884-1967) in éineacht lena cara Áine Nic Aodha, a bhunaigh an scoil. Ba cheannródaí oideachais í Lúise. Bean chalma ar leith a bhí inti. B’iníon í leis an Young Irelander iomráiteach, Charles Gavan Duffy (1816-1903). Rugadh agus a tógadh i Nice na Fraince í. Bhí an Béarla agus an Fhraincis ó dhúchas aici. B’ann a chuir a hathair faoi ar éirí as dó tar éis dó réim ardchéimiúil a bheith aige i gcúrsaí polaitíochta na hÁstráile. Rinneadh ridire dó de thoradh a thréimhse mar Phríomh-Aire agus mar Cheann Comhairle ar Phairlimint Stáit Victoria. Sochraid a hathair in 1903 a thug go hÉirinn don chéad uair í. D’fhill sí ar Éirinn sa bhliain 1907 le cónaí inti. Thug sí faoi chéim BA a bhaint amach sa tír seo. D’fhoghlaim sí Gaeilge i gConradh na Gaeilge. Is ann a casadh an t-oideachasóir agus tírghráthóir Pádraig Mac Piarais uirthi don chéad uair. Ceapadh ina mhúinteoir í i scoil dhátheangach an Phiarsaigh, Scoil Íde, i dTeach Feadha Cuillinn. D’fhorbair sí a a gcuid smaointe oideachais faoi mhórthionchar an Phiarsaigh. Tar éis a bháis, áfach, shocraigh Luíse a gort féin a threabhadh i réimse na scolaíochta lán-Ghaeilge. Is mar thoradh air seo a bhunaigh sí Scoil Bhríde. Nuair a osclaíodh dóirse na scoile don chéad uair in 1917, ba neamhghnách amach is amach an áit í. Scoil Chaitliceach phríobháideach le haghaidh cailíní agus buachaillí óga a bhí inti. Mná óga tuata a bhí i mbun na scoile. Bhí an Ghaeilge mar mheán cumarsáide san áit. Bhí an Fhraincis á múineadh inti mar ábhar ann féin. Chloistí paidreacha á rá i bhFraincis inti fiú. Bhain Luíse leas as a cúlra neamhghnách a bhí aici le cruth oscailte idirnáisiúnta a chur ar an scoil ón gcéad lá. Aigne oscailte agus fiosrach a chruthú, meas ar an gcúltúr Gaelach a fhorbairt agus féinmhuinín is féinmheas láidir a mhúscailt i measc na ndaltaí, na mórchuspóirí oideachais a bhí aici. Tá na tréithe seo le brath ar an scoil i gcónaí. Sháraigh sí féin agus lucht tacaíochta na scoile deacrachtaí móra airgeadais mar aon le deacrachtaí sóisialta chun Scoil Bhríde a thabhairt slán. Cúrsaí airgeadais a chuir iallach uirthi an scoil a bhogadh go dtí 55 Bóthar Pembroke, Droichead na Dothra, in 1922. Ceithre bliana ina dhiaidh sin, rinineadh Scoil Náisiúnta de Scoil Bhríde faoi choimirce na Roinne Oideachais. In 1931, agus an scoil fós cráite de thoradh ar ghéarchéim airgeadais, rinne an Rannóg Oideachais i gColáiste na hOllscoile cúram den áit mar mhodh-scoil le haghaidh mac léinn a bhí ag gabháil den chéim san oideachas. Bogadh an scoil, an athuair, go dtí Ardán Phort an Iarla, láthair a bhí taobh le Coláiste na hOllscoile. Sa bhliain 1917, bhunaigh Lúise Gabhánach Ní Dhufaigh Scoil Bhríde, scoil do chailíní. Bhí baint mhór ag a clann i stair na hÉireann. Scríobh a hathair Séarlas Gabháin Ó Dufaigh nuachtáin, ‘The Nation.” Nuair a bhí deartháir Lúise, Seoirse Gabháin Ó Dufaigh, ina fhear óg chónaigh sé i Londain i gcomhair cúpla bliain. Ansin tháinig sé ar ais go Éirinn. Bhí sé ina bhreitheamh ar an Ard-Chúirt. Cailleadh é i 1951. Tháinig Lúise go hÉirinn chun cúrsa Óllscoile a dhéanamh. Bhí an-suim aici sa pholaitíocht agus i gCogadh na Saoirse. Bhí sí cairdiúil le Pádraig Mac Piarais, agus bhí sí sa mhonarcan Jacobs i 1916. Ní raibh sí ag iarraidh troid, agus mar in bhí sí ag obair sa chistin. I 1917 d’oscail Scoil Bhríde i bhFaiche Stiabhna. Bhog Scoil Bhríde go Droichead na Dothra, ansin UCD, agus ansin sa bhlian 1965 d’oscail sé in aice le Teach Feadha Cuilleann i Raghnallach. Ó shin, d’fhás an scoil go mór. Scríofa ag Saoirse Nic Aonghusa agus Clara Ní Dhónaill, Rang 4 (2010-11) Scoil Bhríde has a unique and valuable educational legacy which can be traced back almost to the start of the last century . In 1917, an exceptional and courageous young woman, Louise Gavan Duffy (1884-1967), pioneered the first all-Irish school in the country when, with just twelve pupils on the rolls, she and her friend Áine Nic Aodha founded Scoil Bhríde at No. 70 St. Stephen’s Green. Daughter of the renowned Young Irelander, Sir Charles Gavan Duffy(1816-1903), Louise was born and raised in Nice in the South of France. Her father had settled there after retiring from a distinguished career in Australian politics, having been knighted for his services as Prime Minister and Speaker of parliament of the State of Victoria. Her home languages were English and French. Her very first glimpse fo Ireland was in 1903 when she came to Dublin for her father’s funeral. She was to return four years later to take up her studies for a BA degree and make Ireland her permanent home. Her first encounter with educationalist and patriot, Patrick Pearse, was at the Gaelic League where she took courses in the Irish language. She later taught in Pearse’s bilingual school, Scoil Íde in Cullenswood House. While Pearse was a major influence in the shaping of her educational ideas, after his death Louise pursued her own vision of education through the medium of Irish and, in 1917, Scoil Bhríde was born. From the day it opened its doors for the first time, it was clear that Scoil Bhríde was to be a most exceptional school. A private Catholic school for girls and boys, it was to be run by young lay women. All its subjects were to be taught through the medium of Irish and all pupils were to learn French as a regular subject. Even some prayers, if they weren’t said in Irish, were to be said in French! Borrowing much from her own extraordinary background, from the very outset Louise set about establishing at Scoil Bhríde an ethos of openness to a wider world. As key educational objectives, she was determined that the school’s pupils would develop a deep respect for their Gaelic culture, enquiring , open minds and strong self-esteem and self-confidence.Those very objectives hold true to this day at Scoil Bhríde. Down through the years Louise Gavan Duffy and the supporters of Scoil Bhríde had to overcome formidable social and financial obstacles which threatened the school’s very existence from time to time. In 1922, a severe shortage of funds forced the relocation of the school to 55 Pembroke Road, Ballsbridge. Four years on, in 1926, Scoil Bhríde became a National School under the Department of Education. In 1931, with an even deeper financial crisis looming at the school, the authorities at University College Dublin took Scoil Bhríde under their protective wing as a model school for the education department. The school again moved premises, this time to Earlsfort Terrace, directly across the road from the then site of U.C.D."

Submitted by: Fionnuala Mac Aodha