A primary school was established in Crinkill in 1851, the money for which was

provided by the Catholic Bishop of Killaloe, Dr. Kennedy.

The school was located in School Road, in the premises which later became the
private residence of Danny and Noel Hogan. That little school provided
education for the children of Crinkill until 1958.
On 22nd September 1958 pupils moved into the new school built by Mr. M
Loughnane. It must have been a very exciting and momentous occasion, but no
account of the occasion exists in the school records beyond the obligatory entry
in the Daily Attendance Book. Enrolment on that day was 84 pupils 53 boys
and 31 girls. Fortunately the Midland Tribune published a worthy account in its
publication on 27th September 1958
In 1966 Fortal National School was closed and most of the pupils came to
Crinkill. Enrolment steadily increased with the developing village and in 1979 a
fourth teacher was appointed. A prefabricated building was sourced to
accommodate the extra class. Expanding enrolment over the next decade
resulted in a further increase in staffing bringing the number of teachers to 6 in
1991.
A second prefabricated class room was acquired to cater for the increasing
numbers. This particular prefab had already served its time accommodating
classes in the Presentation Brother Secondary School and bore the scars of
having to accommodate adolescent boys! It proved to be the catalyst for a
vigorous campaign aimed at refurbishing the school.
Parents and Board of Management campaigned unrelentingly until the
Department sanctioned an extension and refurbishment of the existing building.
Builders, Frank Murray and Sons commenced work on the extension in April 92
3 teachers and their classes had to decamp to the old St Johns Convent
Secondary School
while building was in progress. In Dec 92 they returned to the newly
refurbished and expanded school. Three new classrooms had been added. A
general purpose room, store and shelter which were financed by the local
community completed the complex.
Oil fired central heating replaced the storage heating of the original school.
An Official Opening took place- this time with much fanfare and celebration on
June 18th 1993. Bishop Michael Harty of Killaloe performed the blessing and
Brian Cowen, Minister for Transport and Energy and Communication performed
the official opening.
Very Rev. Michael Harty, Bishop of Killaloe celebrated Mass in the new G.P.
Room with congregation overflowing to an adjoining classroom where the
ceremony was relayed on C.C.T.V. courtesy of Peter Eastwood. Pupils and
teachers settled in to the new surroundings and enjoyed the benefits of extra
space which made the delivery of the revised curriculum more feasible. The
Community benefited by having the use of the new general purpose room for
meetings.

As the millennium approached increasing numbers yet again created a demand

for extra accommodation. The Department responded by providing a
prefabricated extension to the rear of the school. Completed in 2002, it
provided two new classrooms, a staffroom and a learning support room.
The B.O.M. applied to the Department for a permanent structure. This was
sanctioned in 2005. Planning permission was granted in January 2008 and after
numerous delays, the building was finished in 2012- bring extra classrooms,
resource rooms, a dedicated library and a wonderful new sports hall. BOM also
secured extra playing field space for the school.
Over the years the school has responded to the needs of the community, the
demands of the Department of Education and the changing pupil profile.
The first Board of Management was established in October 1975.
Monsignor Patrick Hamell was the first Chairperson.
In 1997, Mrs Ming Loughnane, was appointed as the first lay Chairperson.
A School uniform was adopted in September 1994, and a Parents Association
was established in 1995