Club hears about the history of the Royal Schools

Speaker Dr Howard Welch, Principal of the Royal and Prior Comprehensive School, Raphoe in Co. Donegal, gave a very informative and well received talk on the history of the Royal Schools in Ireland Monday 06 June highlighting that they were set up by King James 1 in 1608 He decreed by charter that there should be Royal Schools established to provide an education to the sons of local merchants and farmers during the plantation of Ulster. 5 such schools were created: Royal School Armagh, Royal School Cavan, Royal School Dungannon, Portora Royal School Enniskillen and his own school the Royal and Prior School Raphoe, Co Donegal. Although they were all founded in 1608 they were all established at different times the Cavan school in 1610, Dungannon 1608, Portora and Raphoe in 1618.