The history of the Boys’ National School goes back to the year 1841, when the transepts of the Holy Cross Church – built 1790 – were used as a location to introduce the Roman Catholic parish school to Castlecomer. Following the opening of the Church of the Immaculate Conception in 1852, the Holy Cross was redesignated a primary school, courtesy of parish priest, Fr. Aylward and it’s reconstruction followed. The school remained open until 1941- one hundred years at the original site. The present railings at the Maryville side south bounded the school and provide a link with the past, as the school was demolished in 1943. Many of the school’s past pupils are still hale and hearty and maintain their links with the ‘new’ school, attended by their grandsons and relatives.
The foundation stone of the relocated Castlecomer B.N.S. was laid in 1939 by Canon Cornelius Mc. Namara P.P. and the school was opened on Monday 16th. February, 1941. The school cost £5,000 to build! It was located on a three acre site in the townsland of Donaguile. The school underwent an extension in 1979/80 when a G.P. room and sizeable classroom were added. A programme of refurbishment has been ongoing since 1997 including a new roof, fitted in July / August 2000. A new museum , located in the school entrance hall, was opened in November, 2001. New computer and resource rooms, opened in February, 2002, were possible following refit of existing facilities.
