A Window into 19th Century Killybegs
Located on St Catherine’s Road, this former schoolhouse is one of the few surviving 19th-century buildings in Killybegs to have retained its original character. Built in 1819, it holds the distinction of being the first formal school established in the town.
The school was founded by the Church of Ireland with support from Bible Societies and the Robertson Fund, and served as the only school for this part of Killybegs until 1842. It followed a standard architectural layout of the time, with the schoolroom on the upper floor, accessed by a stone staircase on the gable end, and living quarters for the teacher and their family on the ground floor. A garden around the building supplied vegetables for the household.
In later years, the building found a new purpose as a Methodist Meeting House, further contributing to the town’s spiritual and social life. Today, it remains a cherished part of Killybegs’ architectural heritage and is now in private ownership.
