Emotional day as mural recalling an end to corporal punishment in schools is unveiled

The recent unveiling of a mural at the former De La Salle Brothers school in Ballaghaderreen was an emotional day for past students and for former Minister for Education John Boland’s family.

The mural, located on the gable wall of the former school, now the local Family Resource Centre, commemorates the abolition of corporal punishment in 1982 under Minister Boland, and is the first of its kind in the country. The mural was unveiled by Mr Boland’s daughter, Deputy Grace Boland.

One of those past students was Cllr Micheál Frain who spoke of the “ongoing torture camp” that he and many others experienced during their education from the age of four before progressing to secondary school.

However, despite the memories of corporal punishment, Cllr Frain said that the focus of the day was the abolition of that method of education, and he praised the legacy of John Boland in front of his daughter and current Fine Gael TD Grace Boland and his wife Kay, who were in attendance.

The quote at the centre of the mural reads that John Boland’s actions in abolishing corporal punishment “paved the way for a new educational system and a new atmosphere inside all the classrooms.” Referencing that quote, Mr Frain said it typified what a change this was in the country.

Kay Boland noted that “the good that man does is very often interred in the graves where evil lives on, and this mural proved that that is incorrect. The good deed that John did, abolishing corporal punishment, obviously lives on,” she said.

Mrs Boland spoke of the abuse her late husband had to deal with, and added that a combination of having young children himself and “the naivety of being a young new minister,” led to his decision to abolish corporal punishment.

Deputy Grace Boland praised her father’s actions, in the face of serious backlash. “In 1982, Dad, then Minister for Education, made a decision that was quietly radical. He abolished corporal punishment in Irish schools and not with fanfare, but, with conviction.

He believed that children deserved respect, not fear; that discipline should never come at the cost of dignity and that a Republic worthy of the name must protect its youngest citizens,” said the Dublin based Deputy.

“I want to say to all the children who pass by this mural every day, may you never know the fear that once lived in classrooms, may you know only the joy of learning, the safety of being heard and the power of being believed in and may there be laughter,” Ms Boland concluded.

She praised the committee members for preserving a pivotal point in Irish history, and thanked young artist Áine Flynn for her portrait that was presented to the Boland family, and pianist Ivan Suprenenko who played music for the event.

She expressed her gratitude to Joe Egan, Joe Duffy, Geraldine O'Donnell, Mary Casey and Cllr Micheál Frain for their dedication to the project.

The mural’s artist, Nick Purdy, Roscommon Leader Partnership, the An Bealach project and Ballaghaderreen Family Resource Centre were also thanked for their help with the mural.