New book focuses on Draperstown school

A steady stream of masked customers wound their way through the Kilcronaghan conference centre, everyone anxious to purchase early copies of Al Bodkin’s new book “Blackhill School, Draperstown (1820-1967) and Other Local National Schools”.

The publishers, Ballinascreen Historical Society, were proud to host the launch of their 46th publication in this their 40th year and committee members acted in various roles to ensure the safety of all those who attended.

Within hours of the launch event finishing, with upwards of 70 books sold, complimentary comments were arriving via social media –

- From the extensive history, pertinent photographs, documents and charts, to the careful citations, your book stands as a scholarly record of the school, the community and the countryside. It is absolutely fascinating

- Extensive trove of treasure captured in this book

- I love the name index

- Such a school connected a community

- No wonder Grandpa absolutely loved returning, feeling so embraced, nurtured in such great part by the “little school on the high hill”

Copies of the book are now on sale in the usual shop outlets in Draperstown and Tobermore, and in Cookstown (Sheehy’s).