Save St. Columbanus Hall Howth

This is part two of our history of St Columbanus posts. As previously mentioned St Columbanus has a long history of education in Howth and that by the early nineteenth century it was a national school. However the school
has also played its part in the establishment of the state. B.P Bowen who was a member of the Irish Volunteers had previously been a student in the Infant School/ Columbanus (both of his parents were teachers in the school,) he was also involved in the Howth Gunrunning of 1914, and he later played a part in the 1916 Rising.
During the War of Independence, 33 men members of H Company 2nd Battalion Dublin Brigade Old IRA, and 23 women members of the local Cumann na Mban were active in the conflict had all previously been pupils in the school. Sinn Fein founded as a political party on the 2nd November 1917 held its first public meeting in Howth outside St Columbanus Hall with W.T Cosgrave as the main speaker.This is just a snapshot of the children who attended the school a century ago. Since that time many children educated in St Columbanus School have contributed so much to the life and prosperity of this town