Sheila/Jiley Friel (nee McAteer) from Pollaid (Emmanuel’s mother) also taught in the school in the earlier part of the century and retired around 1943. Jiley was replaced by James Edward McAteer (Shannagh), while Mary McGonigle (nee Kelly) also spent time teaching in Doaghbeg school. 

Danny McBride also taught in the school in the 1940s as principal.

Kathleen Ward (nee McAteer) started teaching in the school in 1949 and was closely followed by her future husband Enda Ward.  Enda replaced Danny McBride. Enda was born on Tory Island in 1922 and moved to Downings in 1927.  Kathleen is also a key contributor to this site.  Kathleen finished teaching there in 1952.  Enda was also replaced by Kenneth Sweeney.

Mrs Annie McConigley (Ward) from Ballymichael also taught there for a short time just before Katty Martin.  Annie lived to the ripe old age of 105, when she passed away in 2010. 

Kathleen (Katty) Martin was appointed as schoolteacher in February 1957 and worked there until her retirement in 1995 and would have taught a lot of the current day Doaghbeg natives. A mass for her retirement was held in the school which was attended by students and parents, while an official retirement function was held in the Traigh-a-Locha community center. 

Kathleen McConigley from Ballinacrick replaced Katty after spending time teaching in Raphoe. Kathleen then retired in the 2000s and was replaced by Aideen McGettigan from Kerrykeel.

Other teachers included (apologies as we are not sure of the exact years for the following);

Mrs McIntyre

Mrs Begley (Kelly), Shannagh

Miss Kathleen Kerr (Charlie Roe)

Enda Ward

Kathleen Ward

Mrs Una Garven (Friel), Araheera

Mrs Mary Ellen Friel (Din)

Mrs Bried Friel (Din)

Mr James Edward McAteer (Shannagh)

Mrs Rosie Walls (McAteer)

Mr John McAteer (Doaghbeg)

Mr William McAteer (Shannagh)

Miss Noeleen Sweeney (Tullynadall, 2020)

From the early 1990s, the outside of the school had a mix of grass and a concrete base.  The grass was covered with tar in the late 1990s and two goalposts were erected in the school yard along with a basketball hoop.  There wasn’t much room to maneuver but that didn’t deter the students in playing football, tag, basketball, rounders etc. 

In more recent times, Doaghbeg School has battled with continual emigration.  In 2003, the school was reduced to seven schoolchildren and there was an official announcement that the school would be closed.  More than 100 people turned up to protest the closure.  This protests were successful, and the school remained open.  More details can be found below in relation to the potential closure. 

The topic reared its head again in 2015 when a proposal was reviewed for one-teacher schools to be merged with bigger national schools.  Again, nothing came from this review.

The ongoing battle with declining numbers will be here to stay, however.  As of April 2020, there were 9 pupils in the school.

An extension was built onto the school in the 1930s and the works were carried out by John and Dan Griffin from Seamount, Ballyheerin and they were ably assisted by Jimmy Callaghan and Willie Doherty from Drumnacraig.

In the 1960s, while the Doaghbeg school was being refurbished, a house in Pollaid was used as a temporary school base.  This house was located just at the turnstiles to the entrance of the road to the great arch.  The house has been owned by Tim Devane since the 1990s.

Another extension was added in 2009 to modernize the structure and layout of the building.

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There are also stories about Charlie ‘Paddy Rosie’ McAteer (House 27, 1901 census) breaking windows in the school in the 1930s. Eunan Sweeney also recalls a travelling man called ‘Red’ Johnny Sweeney who used to travel to the school in the 1960s to clean out the latrines.

A brother of former teacher Enda Ward named Colm Ward, also coordinated Irish dancing lessons with the students in the 1950s and 1960s.  Eunan Sweeney recalls being the only boy at the dancing and getting a lift back home with Colm on a motorbike.

In Christmas 1949, a concert was held in the school which was organized by Enda and Kathleen Ward.  Involved on the day were Johnny Martin, Hughie Martin and John Anton Coll to name but a few. Charlie Coll recited ‘The Priesting of Father Dan’ which was brilliant by all accounts. John McGlynn from Milford played the accordion while famed singer John Kerr provided singing entertainment for the evening to a packed school.

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In 1962, the school relocated temporarily to Pollaid while renovations were ongoing on the current school.  Katty was there with Mary Kelly and Brid 'Din' Friel (Mary Ellen's sister) also filling in.  

The photographer coming to the school was also a big day for the students - they had to be well scrubbed up for the occasion. 

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Margaret Doherty recalls John McAteer’s time as a substitute teacher in Doaghbeg when he brought a large two reel tape recorder to the school and played back the schoolchildren’s singing and reciting to them among great excitement.  The children had never seen nor experienced such a contraption before.

A notable ‘school tour’ for the Doaghbeg schoolchildren occurred in 1995 when the group of students and their teacher Katty Martin made the long trek to Ballyholland for a visit and overnight stay with their Ballyholland NS counterparts.  The date was fixed as 26th May 1995.  Here’s a short summary taken from the McAteer Clan newsletter;

‘On the afternoon of May 26th a bus load of happy children from Donegal arrived in Ballyholland. Just four days previous Donegal had beaten Down in the G.A.A. Ulster Championship but we were delighted to have the All Ireland Trophy (the Sam Maguire Cup ) and the Anglo Celt Cups on display. After refreshments and exchanges of gifts, both sets of children participated in a mini- sports competition under the watchful eye of the Goban Saoir Celine and our committee members. After the sports the Donegal children set off to meet their host families.

Later in the evening we all met in the I.N F. Hall where there was a magic show, disco and presentation of medals. Adults were not forgotten as there was food, booze and craic for them. Next morning the children were taken to Newry Bowling Alley for more fun and games before departing for home, amid tears from some of the Ballyholland children.’

Michael Sweeney vaguely recalls this school trip, arriving to the school ground on an unusually wet afternoon for May.  The sports day was held in the large playground (which was of envy to the Doaghbeg children who didn’t have as much space in their own school yard!).  A disco and presentation of awards followed, and Jonathan McAteer still has one of the certificates (photo can be found in our image gallery on Facebook).

A successful school reunion was held in 2005 which was organized by Jackie and Philomena Durden.  This event was attended by large numbers and there are photos available from this gathering in our Facebook image gallery.  It was great to see former pupils, young and old, attend the event while an evening of celebration continued in Doherty’s pub, Araheera.

Bealoideas Records – at the time of writing, the handwritten records from schoolchildren in Doaghbeg are not available on the ‘Duchas’ website – but we are inquiring as to their availability.

The most natural next step in education for Doaghbeg students was either the Vocational School (formally known as the Tech, now known as Mulroy College) or Loreto Community School.  Both are located in Milford and a large majority of those who progressed to secondary level education went here.  A small portion of students would have been educated elsewhere, such as St.Eunans college in Letterkenny.

Doaghbeg school has also been used as the local polling station for election days.

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Contained below are some newspaper snippets relating to Doaghbeg school