Kilkenny Card School - keeping traditions alive in Coolagh!

ABOVE: Peggy Lyons, Jenny Frister, Jack and Caoimhe Lyons. Pictures: Harry Reid

Hurling and Gaelic football might be known as the traditional games of Ireland, but did you know that the card game ‘25s’ is the national card game of Ireland?

In one rural community in Kilkenny not only is card playing thriving, but now a dedicated card school has been set up to teach the game of 25s to a new generation - at their urging!

The 25s game in Coolagh, just outside Callan, has been running for almost 50 years.
It started in 1978 under the guidance of Billy Maher, and is now assured of a popular future with John Corrigan steering the ship and classes to pass on cards skills to new players.

A firm fixture on the winter social schedule now, the card game began in a roundabout way.
In the late 1970s the people of Coolagh revived the Pattern of Coolagh. For many centuries it had been celebrated at Coolagh Cross on the Sunday closest to September 8, the Feast of Our Lady, of whom the local Church is dedicated to.

At first, when it was revived, it was held at James Neill’s field down the Lodge Road, at Coolaghmore.
It grew from strength to strength and the committee looked around for some focal point to hold meetings and gatherings.
The now-closed national school at Coolaghflags, owned by a local farmer, was the ideal centre. Up until then, meetings were held in Margaret Fennelly’s pub, Callan, before later moving to Billy Maher’s house on Coolagh Cross.

Eventually the old school was purchased, after huge fundraising, and transformed into a Community Centre, known locally as ‘The School’ or ‘Coolagh Hall’. Only last summer the centre was rededicated as ‘The Bishop Freeman Schoolhouse’ to remember neighbour and friend, Bishop Seamus Freeman.

During the early years, back in the late seventies, the Pattern Committee decided to provide some form of entertainment for the long winter nights. It was decided to run cardgames, the most obvious one being Ireland’s National Cardgame, the popular ‘25s’.

Billy Maher, Chairman of the club, was given the task of overseeing these games, which he did, right up to last year, completing a marathon 46 years of entertainment for the community and surrounding areas.

Since the first game in the winter of 1978, many patrons have passed through Bishop Freeman Hall and many have gone to their eternal reward. There were some great characters like Jackie Shea, Ned Leahy, Ray Coady, Mick ‘Higgins’ O’Shea and many, many more. Click 'NEXT' to read on and to see lots more photographs from the card school!