A Short History

History bears witness that, through the long night of the penal laws when to teach was a crime punishable by death, the lamp of learning, though flickering, was never wholly extinguished. So, all over the land in lonely out-of-the way places, hedge-schools for small groups were furtively active. Clara was no exception.

With the arrival of the Sisters of Mercy in May, 1862 out of stables and coach houses the property of the late Pastor Very Rev Patrick Berry, classrooms were constructed and pupils received. Three nuns took charge which shows that numbers were relatively small.
The school continued to function until 1887 when part of the present school which is now the assembly hall was built by Monsignor Matthew Gaffney who later became Bishop of Meath.
Pupil numbers gradually rose and although the building was inadequate, education continued.
In 1964 the part of the school which now accomodates 1st - 6th classes was built followed 20 years later by the extension which is now the infant classes wing.

Throughout this time the Sisters of Mercy retained Principalship until 1992 when Sr. M Perpetua Henry retired as the last religious Principal of the school and Nora Heneghan Kavanagh became Principal.
At present the school has 197 pupils and 32 staff members. 
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We opened our first ASD class, Sunrise in September 2017 followed by Sunrise 2 in 2019.

Nora Kavanagh retired in August 2022 after 43 years working in Scoil Bhríde. The principal position was filled by Ms. Sandra Grennan.