The Fanore School Case 1914-22

The Fanore School case is one of the most bizarre episodes in the history of Irish education. At the centre of the case was Michael O'Shea, Principal of Fanore National School, who was dismissed from his post in 1914 by the local parish priest, Fr Patrick Keran. The reason for his dismissal was his refusal to marry the assistant teacher in the school. This fascinating new investigation of the case by Joe Queally, involving examination of court records, oral history and previously unseen evidence from the Church records, sheds new light on the events which brought about what was to become a national scandal.