School History

History of Coldwood N.S.

Coldwood National School first opened its doors in 1874. The exact date of its establishment was the 25th of May that year. The school was built using private funds and consisted of 1 single room which was 36 feet long and 16 feet wide. It was located to the side of the current building closer to the turn onto the Caherfinsker Road. The first teacher at Coldwood was Thomas Mullen and the manager of the school was the Very Reverend John O’Grady PP.  The school hours were from 10am until 3pm, similar to today. There were 35 pupils enrolled at that time.

The school continued as a one room building until 1936 when a new two-roomed structure was built in its current location. Remnants of the old fire places can still be seen in the main office and resource room.  

In 1985, the school became a three-teacher school and a pre-fab was added to accommodate a classroom while awaiting a new school structure. That new building was officially opened in the October of 1992 by then Taoiseach, Albert Reynolds.  It was a big spectacle as the Taoiseach arrived in his helicopter. The new construction made the existing school practically a new building. The school now consisted of 3 classrooms and a staff room.

The school continued to grow over the next few years and in 1999 a fourth teacher was appointed in Coldwood for the first time in its 125-year existence. The number of pupils in Coldwood continued to rise in the mid 2000’s and with this came more construction.  Supported with fundraising efforts from the community, the newest extension was completed in 2008. The school gained another 2 classrooms, a number of resource rooms and offices and a general-purpose room. That is how the building stands today.  

With land purchased at the back of the school, came further development of a playing pitch and track. The development committee along with continued support from the school community saw the completion of this project. The Coldwood pitch and community track were officially opened in May 2018. A further development is now planned after the school received planning permission for an Astroturf pitch in late 2025.

Coldwood National School currently has 10 staff members and 99 children on roll. From its humble beginnings with 1 teacher and 35 students 150 years ago, it has grown and developed into the wonderful facility you see today.