Powerstown National School is situated about two miles east of Clonmel, beside Powerstown Church. There is a long tradition of education in the area, dating back to records of a hedge school in the mid 19th Century. The school has expanded over the years to its current size, with 377 pupils and 18 permanent teachers. There are also a number of part-time teachers who visit to provide learning support to children with special educational needs.
The original school at Powerstown was a two-roomed building, which can still be seen today opposite the church. It is now a family home. It was built in 1853 under the Famine Relief Scheme. The school transferred to its current site in 1951. The two rooms were warmed by an open fire, replaced later by a pot bellied stove. As late as the mid 1980’s, children who attended the school collected coal from the shed to light the stoves in the mornings.
In 1986, the school was extended and the older part became the school hall. There were then five new purpose-built classrooms on site plus a general area for P.E. and assemblies. However, the school population quickly increased again and the hall had to become a classroom once more.
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