Save St. Columbanus Hall Howth

The campaign to save St Columbanus Hall Howth was started in May 2019 following an announcement at a church assembly that it was to be sold. Over the course of the summer 2019 we campaigned to save the Hall so that it could continue to play it’s vital role in the community, over 30 groups use it on a weekly basis.
It has a 358 year old history in the historical, religious, educational and cultural life of the town. It is in the real sense the beating heart of the community, and is a central part of the living fabric and heritage of Howth.
Throughout last summer the committee was very active. We met with Fr Tanham and the parish committee, with Ms Helena Bergin conservation officer in Fingal County Council. We are grateful to the Howth Sutton Community Council who facilitated discussion on the issue. We also got backing from a number of local TDs, Senators, and Councillors. We held a public meeting in the Abbey Tavern Howth and also met with the Howth Sutton & District Community Centre Ltd to discuss that possibility of purchasing St Columbanus Hall. We are aware that F.C.C have also conducted a feasibility study as to its suitability as a community space.
We set up an online petition and collected signatures we have to date over 1800, people who are passionate in their support of the campaign. We have been asked repeatedly for information if there is any progress. Unfortunately we have not been able to answer the question.
Covid-19 and lockdown has indeed slowed up the workings of the various bodies both public and private but there is now a gradual return to employment to the ‘’new normal’’
In the light of the above facts and since it is now over a year since our campaign commenced, we are asking all interested parties what is the position on the acquisition of this iconic building and its safeguarding for the future.

Hi to all our followers, we haven't posted in a while but we remain committed to the campaign to Save St Columbanus Hall. We are aware that a feasibility study is presently being carried out by Fingal County Council and we await their findings. We are pleased that the representatives of the Parish are meeting with the HSDCC (Edros). It is heartening that the Parish Church Committees hope''that St Columbanus Hall will continue to be of service to the Howth Community'' In the meantime SCH is a hive of activity facilitating community meetings, and also all the groups who use it regularly. We will update you when we have further news.

http://www.dublinpeople.com/news/northsideeast/articles/2019/10/08/4180562-clear-support-for-retention-of-howth-hall/ please follow the link from the Northside People Oct 8th to read a report of the Public Meeting Save St Columbanus Hall in the Abbey Tavern Oct 1st which was well attended. Thank you to Senator Noon for chairing the meeting. The consensus on the night was that Columbanus Hall must be saved for future generations. We are very thankful to all the politicians who attended the meeting for their continuing support.

Dublin People - 'Clear support' for retention of Howth hall

The Public Meeting took place in the Abbey Tavern on Tues. Oct 1st. We are very grateful to all who attended given the inclement weather but despite the wintry evening it was well attended.Senator Catherine Noon chaired the meeting and we are very appreciative of all the time she has given to the Save the Columbanus Hall Campaign. We also thank her team for their help. We thank all the Politicians and Local Representatives for attending and for being so supportive. There was consensus on the night that St Columbanus Hall must be maintained as a community space for future generations.

Hi to all the followers of the Save St Columbanus Hall page. The Public meeting is on Tuesday Oct 1st in the Abbey Tavern at 7pm. We really need you to come along and show your solidarity with the campaign. We are being described as a "protest group'' which of course is what we are absolutely, protesting at the potential sale and loss of this iconic building to further development in the town. We have already posted that the Columbanus site has 357 years of history from its humble beginnings when a small thatched chapel was built in the 17th century to the establishment of a national school in the mid 19th century. It is considered to be a "positive building'' in the draft development plan but it is not a listed building so could be consumed into a development. It is already the defacto community centre standing proudly in the town and used by so many community groups. Please come along and join us on Tuesday Oct 1st 7pm in the Abbey Tavern

Please support the Save St Columbanus Hall Public Meeting Tuesday 1st October in the Abbey Tavern at 7pm, thank you to Senator Catherine Noone for organising and helping us publicise the meeting, please come along and support the campaign to save this old and historic Howth building.

The previous post uploaded today is a chronological date and timeline of St Columbanus's 357 year old history. We are very grateful to our researcher Kevin who has carefully put it together for us.

St. Columbanus Infant School/Hall Timeline
*1662 Fr. James Begg builds a Chapel at Howth (primitive structure)
*1728 Fr. Treacy repairs old Chapel in Howth. It stood for the next 86 years on the site of the Infant School aka. St.Columbanus Hall until the Church was built in 1814. (on site of the now Renaissance House aka. Old Parochial Hall)
*1757 Rocque's Map of Dublin & and it's Enviorns. Depicts Roman Chapel in Town of Howth.
*1814 — 1825 No evidence in this period as to when the change of use from Chapel to School-house happened.
*1826 School held in old Chapel (St.Columbanus Hall) School-teachers; Patrick Dargan & Jane Sweetman.
*1831 Lord Stanley, Chief Secretary introduced the Bill of Establishment of National Schools in Ireland.
*1834 Record of Male and Female School Superintendent's, Howth.--- Martin Dempsey & Alicia Dempsey.
*1837 National School (Old Chapel Building ?) Ordnance Survey Map 1837.
*1852 Public announcement in newspaper that a Charity Sermon will be preached in the Church, Howth, “on Sunday July 18th, immediately after last Mass” in aid of Parochial Schools of Baldoyle, Howth and Kinsealy (600 pupils total)......... “and also to assist the fund now being raised for Rebuilding the Male and Female Schools at Howth. “........ Donations will be received.............
*1852 Report in the newspaper the ‘Nation’ that Rev. Mr. Smithwick P.P. acquires a site and donation from the ‘Earl of Howth’ to build a schoolhouse in Howth.
*1852 The new male and female schools at Howth were commenced in the autumn of 1852.
*1853 Building of new School progresses quote “which are now roofed in".
*1857 School completed in June 1857.
*1860 Map 10th.Sept.1860 depicts location of ‘New’ National School. (Columbanus Hall)
*1864 ‘New’ National School’ (Columbanus Hall) depicted on Griffith's Valuation Map.
*1891 Thom's Directory, First time I noted school teachers were named;- John Bowen & Ellen Jordan.
*1892 New Male and Female School opened on Balglass, “Top-school"
*1904 Thom's Directory, School-teachers:- John Bowen & Ellen Moore + Mrs. Mooney (Infant School, Main St.)
*1905 Thom's Directory, School-teachers increase to 6 in number including Mrs. Mooney (Infant School, Main St.)
*1956 Scoil Mhuire opened 20th.May,1956 by Capt. S.. Gaisford St.Lawrence, R.N.
*1956 – circa 1972 Infant School and Boy’s ‘Top School’ transfers to New School (Scoil Mhuire ) and Girl's ‘Top School’ transfers down to St. Columbanus building.
*2019 In use as Parish Hall.

Rocque's Map of Dublin & it's Enviorns y.1757, depicting Roman Chapel in Howth Village. https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b53057253b

This is part two of our history of St Columbanus posts. As previously mentioned St Columbanus has a long history of education in Howth and that by the early nineteenth century it was a national school. However the school
has also played its part in the establishment of the state. B.P Bowen who was a member of the Irish Volunteers had previously been a student in the Infant School/ Columbanus (both of his parents were teachers in the school,) he was also involved in the Howth Gunrunning of 1914, and he later played a part in the 1916 Rising.
During the War of Independence, 33 men members of H Company 2nd Battalion Dublin Brigade Old IRA, and 23 women members of the local Cumann na Mban were active in the conflict had all previously been pupils in the school. Sinn Fein founded as a political party on the 2nd November 1917 held its first public meeting in Howth outside St Columbanus Hall with W.T Cosgrave as the main speaker.This is just a snapshot of the children who attended the school a century ago. Since that time many children educated in St Columbanus School have contributed so much to the life and prosperity of this town