Ballitore Boarding School

Abraham Shackleton settled in Ballitore and opened Ballitore School on 1st March 1726. The school opened its doors with a roll book of 38 pupils and it quickly became well known among educational institutions. The school was broadly run on Quaker lines, though admission was open to all Protestant denominations and had pupils from as far away as France, Norway and Jamaica. Pupils were taught the classics and history, mathematics, geography and English literature.

In an advertisement for the school Abraham declared his intentions to decline

"from conscientious motives, to teach …which he considers injurious to morals and subversive of sound principles, particularly those authors who recommend in seducing language the illusions of love and the abominable trade of war"

In 1756, Richard Shackleton, son of Abraham, became headmaster when his father retired, and William Leadbeater was employed to teach French at the school.

Richard’s son, Abraham took over the running of the school in 1779, and he restricted admission to Quakers only. This decision, along with the effects of the 1798 rebellion, led to the decline and eventual closure of the boarding school in 1801.

It was then opened for day scholars and in 1806, James White, son in law of Abraham, re-opened the school for boarders. It continued for twenty years, the last enrolment being in 1836.

Some notable pupils of Ballitore include Napper Tandy and Edmund Burke. Burke enrolled in 1741 and entered Trinity College Dublin, three years later. He maintained a constant correspondence and friendship with the family, and often visited the village.