History of Dromard.

The parish of Dromard was originally part of the medieval parish of Kiloe. Kiloe incorporated Drumlish/Ballinamuck and the modern Killoe parish. There were two holy wells in the parish, both dedicated to St. Patrick who rumour has it, passed through this area on his way to destroy the great pagan idol Crom Cruach near Ballymagover, Co.Letrim. Tubberpatrick is not only one of these wells but is the site of a medieval Church and graveyard, which is still in use. Nearby is a mass rock and the site of the Synod of Clonelly in 1660 where a representative from every diocese in the ecclesiastical province of Armagh met in conclave and in seclusion. Education in the classics has played an important role in the record numbers of priests who have gone from here to missionaries throughout the world. Hedge schools have been part and parcel of this wonderful tradition. The known sites of these schools and the names of the masters are well known and have passed down from one generation of a family to another.

The church or mass-house on Dromard hill, which was probably thatched, gave way to a new church at Moyne in 1818. The stones from the old church were said to have then been used in the building of the Latin school in 1897. The history of the Moyne Latin school is of great importance not only for the history of the Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise, but also for the history of the Irish church at home and abroad. While it was lacking in equipment and facilities, it was rich in the tradition of learning. The school kept no systematic records before the 1930’s and the earliest available roll-book dates back only as far as 1932. It is not possible to give a definite date for the beginning of the school as it had it’s origin in the Penal Times when education for Catholics was prohibited and records were not kept. Today, The Moyne Community School exists as the inheritor of the Latin school.

In the nineteenth century, the area was a thriving and much larger village than today. It had two public houses and was home to many artisans. In 1838, work began on the building of a new National school. This school was first located just outside the chapel yard in the garden of an old galvanized house. It was expected to accommodate 90 females and 100 male pupils. This school was closed and struck off the list on 22nd December 1840. In the year 1893, two national schools, both male and female were established in Dromard. Both schools existed in Dromard until the year 1942 when the schools were amalgamated.

Until the year 1865, the church at Moyne, which had been the parish church since 1818, was known as St. Mary’s. When the church was rededicated in 1990 by Bishop Colm O’ Reilly, the commemorative booklet calls it St. Francis Xavier’s, a name by which it was known during Canon Briody’s term as P.P. and probably earlier. During the 1800’s virtually every house in Moyne and surrounding areas were self-sufficient as regards food for the family, thus development in Agriculture has always been continuous. In 1905, Lonsadales formed a new company named Western Creameries Ltd. At this time, I.A.O.S. held meetings at Moyne and Legga with a view to establishing the Co-Operative movement in the parish. The Dromard/Moyne Co-Operative society opened its doors for business in the spring of 1907 and ceased operation in 1932. Also, in the year 1923, The Corn Threshing Co-Operative was established. It was set up primarily for the purpose of getting a £5 grant then available to Co-Ops for the purchase of a threshing machine. The machine was purchased and operated successfully until 1946.