Over half of the pupils of Rathkeale National Schools Number 2 and Number 3 had names that are readily recognised as having Irish Palatine origin, whilst many more bear the names of families who inter-married with their Irish Palatine neighbours.
Detailed information about these schools and a complete, newly-expanded (2025) transcription of the pupil registries by can be found in PDF format at the following link:
About the School (written by Terry Pyper, 2001) -
The classrooms are housed in the former refectory of the old Augustinian Abbey, situated to the left about half a mile from the centre of Adare on the Limerick road, in the direction of Patrickswell. They are reached via a long stone stairway on the south side of the building. The school is still attended today, with classes of about the same numbers and Palatine names continue to be recorded - albeit fewer in number. Irish remains an important subject in the curriculum as a means of retaining a cohesive social and cultural identity in an increasingly Anglicized world. Apart from the rich agricultural environment and the warm, communal spirit of the people who dwell today in this prosperous region, very little remains to speak of the influence of the immigrants from the Rhineland Palatinate since the early 18th century.
The picture below shows the teaching staff and pupils of the Adare National School in about 1912. The headmaster, Mr McBratney is on the left with the rector, Canon Orpen. Mrs McBratney, who also taught at the school, is on the right of the picture. The three younger of the seven children of William Henry Barkman and Margaret Jane Barkman (née Shier) of Firgrove House are amongst the children present - Lily, Esther Florence and Billie, alongside his cousin Eric, son of Fred and Charlotte Barkman of Rose Cottage, Adare.
NOTES: The lists of 206 children given here include all the names recorded between the dates shown - of both Rhenish Palatine and Anglo-Irish families - and are of particular interest to those seeking their ancestral origins in this singular community, born of a (benevolent, if ineptly handled) British colonization venture in the early 18th century. Where other vital information is sorely lacking (i.e. official census data, electoral rolls and civil registration records), these lists provide much background detail that helps to bridge the gap between christening cups and cemetery headstones.
Two registers were kept - one for Boys and one for Girls. The information sought from parents was considerable; in these valuable source documents, the column headings were as follows:
a) Date of entrance
b) Registration number*
c) Pupil's names (usually surname first)
d) Age last birthday
e) Religious denomination**
f) Residence
g) Occupation or means of making a living of parents
* Registration numbers were initially allocated on a strictly sequential basis, shared amongst boys and girls; occasionally, however, the same numbers were given to both - almost surely by accident, but this practice appears to have occurred more and more frequently over time. The confusion arising from such numbers should therefore deflect us from any reliance upon them as any kind of chronological guide, where dates are not always sufficient.
** In January 1890, the designation E.C. (Church of England) suddenly changed to I.C. (Church of Ireland). The initials P.D. probably represented Protestant Dissenter and appeared to cover all 'divergent' faiths, particularly Methodism, although 'Pres.' for Presbyterian was clearly not regarded as in any way extraordinary or deviant.
Especial thanks are due to the headmistress of the Adare National School, Margaret Brickenden, for her extreme kindness in allowing these registers to be transcribed.
- Terry Pyper (September 2001)
The compilers of this information have sought a practical compromise between three basic principles:
In order to satisfy all of these principles, the paper version of this compilation is in two sections, entitled "Public Information" and "Protected Information". Only the former is shown on this web site.
Only four copies of the complete compilation have been produced, and these are held by the Irish Palatine Association, Rathkeale No 2 School, Adare & Ballingrane Methodist Circuit and the compilers, Janice and Ken McDonald. These parties may allow public access to the full content of this book, and they have no objection to anyone transcribing, photocopying, reproducing or publishing anything in the "Public Information" section.
However, in order to protect the privacy of living individuals, the parties limit the use of the "Protected Information" to researching individual enquiries, under supervision. These pages may not be photocopied and lists may not be transcribed from them.