A History of Presentation Terenure

The Presentation Order was founded by Nano Nagle. Nano was born in Ballygriffin, County Cork in 1718. She started her first school in Cove lane in Cork city in 1755. The pupils were taught spelling, reading, arithmetic and writing. Nano is often pictured as going about in poor unfashionable dress, a lantern in one hand and a stick in the other. She was known as the lady with the lamp.

In June 1776 Nano received the religious habit, the beginning of the Presentation Order. Nano intended its members to be devoted to the poor.
Nano Nagle died on April 26th 1784 at the age of 65. Her message spread across the globe and today Nano Nagle's Presentation Sisters are found all over Ireland, England, Newfoundland, Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, California, New York, North and South Dakota, Iowa and the Philippines

The first Presentation sisters arrived in Terenure in 1866. They arrived on September 24th and took up residence in Netherby, one of the "Big Houses" in the area. Five days later, they opened their doors to their first pupils, having organised the coach house and stables as classrooms.. Facilities were minimal but they managed.

Later on they converted the coach house and stable of Netherby into a school until such time as a new building would be erected. There were 144 pupils on rolls with an average attendance of 105.
The new school, a fine two storey building of red brick, containing eight classrooms was completed by 1889. The demand for increased school accommodation necessitated further building. In 1939 the erection of a large wing of ten classrooms was completed.  Today the "School in the Stable" has been replaced by a primary school which accomodates approximately 600 pupils

                     By Alison and Anna,
                           6th Class
                                         

Here are 2 classrooms from our school - about 70 years ago!
	First Holy Communicants c.1967	A uniform was first introduced in the early 70's
	A choir from 1973	The Mother General came on a visit in 1973
The field behind these girls became the site for the secondary school
		This yard became the site for the Nano Nagle hall which was opened in 1982. Can you spot the outdoor toilets in the background?
	The Convent about 100 years ago	The Convent - June 2006
Our school has a long history in the performing arts. Here are some photos of previous productions
	Fatima 1969	The Mikado
Some cast members of "Move Along" from the early 70's
Some Irish and Welsh dancers from 1972

A History Of Terenure

The word Terenure comes from the Irish Tír an Iúir - the Land of the Yew. Terenure existed before the Normans but little is known about it before 1215 when the land was granted to the knight Hugo de Barnewell. In 1590 Pete Barnewell built Terenure Castle where Terenure College now stands.

During the 1600's many big houses were built in the area.. Terenure House, Templeogue House and Fortfield House. In 1659 there were 32 people living in Terenure - 11 English and 21 Irish. In 1791 Robert Shaw bought Terenure House and also acquired the adjoining Bushy Park lands . George Bernard Shaw spent some time at his uncle's house and the woods in Bushy Park were called Shaw's Wood.

In 1801 a road was constructed leading from Rathgar and crossed the original road out of the city which came from Harold's Cross. A village began to develop at this crossroads with an inn and a well. The circle of cottages erected in 1801 gave the community the name of Roundtown. It was called Roundtown until 1870.

Terenure Cross Road over 100 years ago	The Cross Roads today

During the late 1800's and in the early 1900's there was a huge building rush in Terenure. The houses on terenure Road East were built first and in the 1880's and 90's the redbrick houses of Brighton Road, Ashdale Road and Terenure Park were built. Eaton Square was built in 1920 and Terenure became a very desirable address .

People liked to gather at Vaughan's Corner for a chat	Vaughan's Corner today

In 1932 Terenure lost all claim to rural status when it was incorporated into the city : no longer a village but a suburb. Hundreds of years ago the Land of the Yew Tree was covered in trees but today Terenure is a lively . busy and noisy suburb of Dublin.

The Terenure Trams

No history of Terenure would be complete without mentioning the trams. From the 1870's a horse-drawn tram, operated by United Tramways Company was running through Terenure. The Terenure tram was number 191 . A further tram ran along the route of the 16 bus towards Rathfarnham. Another tram line was opened in 1888 which ran all the way to Blessington. Many residents of the city had the opportunity to travel out to the countryside in their leisure time and Terenure became a stopping-off point for travellers en route to scenic west Wicklow.

In 1901 horse drawn trams were replaced by electric trams. The last tram to Blessington left Terenure on December 31st 1932. The tram service to Terenure finished in 1949

by Hazel and Alice, 6th Class

    The tram sheds were situated on Terenure Road East

The Circle Shop was part of the original circle of cottages which gave Roundtown its name

( all photographs of old Terenure are taken from Memories Of Terenure by Essie Harrington and Dorothy Brown ... our thanks to Essie for her assistance )

Terenure Today

Terenure today is a modern lively village with a mix of shops, estate agents and restaurants. The village has undergone huge changes in the last 150 years. Many of the old houses have been replaced with apartment blocks. Indeed, our own convent building is on the cusp of change . It has just been sold for development.. watch this space for further details!

Terenure is a lively busy village
The synagogue in Terenure was designed by Wilfrid Cantwell and opened in 1953
	St. Joseph's Church in Terenure was dedicated on April 24th 1904. It was later extended and became the first church in Ireland to have the altar in the middle. It contains three beautiful stained glass windows by Harry Clark including the truly stunning three-light stained glass crucifixion window behind the high altar.
The Classic cinema was built in 1938 but closed during the 1970's. Today it houses the Terenure Enterprise Centre

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