Prior School, Lifford, 13 Dec 2024 - v1

The original architect is not known but this is a very fine building and must have been the work of someone of note.

 

Slater’s Directory of 1894 records that the ‘Prior Endowed School opened in September 1880, built at the bequest of the late Miss Eleanor Prior, at a cost of £2,000. Her last will apparently stipulated that classes had to be taught to university standard. It was originally built to cater for local Protestant children with monies bequeathed by Miss Eleanor Prior who was from nearby Ballindrait. The secondary schools first master was a William Jameson and the first mistress a Tamar Gold (possibly b.1880 d.1905).

 

I believe Miss Eleanor Prior died, Monday 27 January 1879 and was buried, Wed 29 Jan at 1 O’clock in Clonleigh graveyard aka Saint Lugadius, Lifford.

 

Although now not in use, this impressive former school building retains its early form and character, and is an important element of the built heritage of Lifford. This elegant structure is well-built using good quality cut stone masonry with high quality ashlar sandstone detailing, particularly to the surrounds to the openings and the coping over the half-dormer openings that are flanked by curious and distinctive piers with finials over. The base batter is another curious feature of this building. Further decorative interest is added by the ridge tiles while the retention of the natural slate roof adds a satisfying patina. The loss of the original fittings to the openings fails do substantially detract from this fine building. The form having projections to either end of the front elevation with doorways suggests that this building originally had separate entrances and classrooms for girls and boys, a common feature of Victorian schools reflecting the strict social thinking at the time.

 

The Prior School, Lifford closed in 1972, having had a historical link to Lifford and Strabane. It was amalgamated with the Royal School in Raphoe to create the ‘Royal & Prior Comprehensive School’ with the new building being constructed on the outskirts of Raphoe.

 

P&T Use

The Prior school and grounds, were first taken over by the then Irish Department of Posts and Telegraphs (P&T).

 

Military Use

Later, from Febuary 1974 by the Irish Defence Forces for use as a military barracks. The base was home to some 150 infantry troops plus support staff and employed more than 2,500 soldiers over its 36-year history.

The barracks finally closed on Tuesday 27 January 2009 after the 129 members of ‘A’ Company, 28th Infantry Battalion of the Irish Army marched out of the Barracks for the last time.

 

Donegal County Council

Donegal County Council officially took over the site in 2016 and a significant portion of the site started to be renovated around January 2020 which included demolishing a storage building and decommissioning the iconic telecommunications mast, refurbishing two army buildings for office use, as well as the provision of car parking, landscaping and other associated site works. The work was expected to be completed April/May 2020.

 

At a Council meeting on 12 October 2020 regarding the renovation works planned for the Prior School which had not started it was suggested by Cllr. Gerry Crawford that the Prior School Building should be officially named after Miss Eleanor Prior.

Cllr. Crawford told the council that it was vital that the Prior name remain on the former building in light of the history of the school community and the legacy of students who passed through the school. The most notable was:

1. George Otto Simms (b.1910 d.1991) Archbishop of Armagh Primate of All Ireland from 1969 to 1980, who attended the school from 1915 to 1920.

 

The council stated that the future use of the Prior School will be carefully considered due to the character and structure of the building. The executive stated, “The Council has not finalised plans for the use of the building but will be exploring options in this regard including the potential sources of external funding that might be available to help with the cost.” Year to date, December 2024 no renovation work has yet been started, although it was stated to me that it’s still planned.

 

The Royal and Prior Comprehensive School

The Royal and Prior Comprehensive School has ancient origins being established by a charter in 1608 by King James I (b.1566 d.1625). The original intention was to establish 'free schools' in the counties of Armagh, Tyrone, Londonderry, Fermanagh, Donegal and Cavan. These schools were created to provide education for the young men of the English and Scotish protestant settlers (planters) who had arrived in Ireland with the creation of the Plantation of Ulster, some of whom it was hoped, would later attend Trinity College Dublin to train as Protestant ministers.

 

By 1618, as part of this charter, a Royal School was established in Donegal Town, but was relocated in 1661 to Castle Street, in the town of Raphoe (adjacent St Eunan’s Cathedrial).

In 1737, this Royal School was re-constructed through the generosity of Nicholas Foster (b.1664 d.1743) Bishop of Raphoe from 1716 to 1739.

This building was originally a two-storey structure, the upper floor was added at a subsequent renovation estimated date of early c.1800.

 

An important development of the Royal School occurred in 1971 when it was merged with the Prior Endowed School in Lifford with the newly amalgamated schools being renamed,The Royal and Prior Comprehensive School with the new school being constructed on the R236, Derry Road on the outskirts of the town of Raphoe.

 

A new €1.5 million extension was added to the Royal and Prior Comprehensive School with the official opening on Friday 26th May 2017.

 

The early Georgian Royal School House (adjacent St Eunan’s) now serves as a boarding accommodation for The Royal and Prior Comprehensive School and houses 39 boarders from all parts of Donegal and further afield.

 

Done