The Fee

In order to sit for the “Fee” examination, it was necessary for a pupil to have been resident in the Borough of Swords (defined as two statue miles in every direction from the Round Tower) for at least three years, be under 16 years of age and have attended school for at least 100 days. The value of the “Fee” was changed on a number of occasions during the next one hundred and fifty years, but at the outset the fees were valued at £12, and they were to be awarded to six boys and six girls each year.

Eligibility

There were constant problems with regard to eligibility of pupils to compete for the “Fee”. It became obvious to the Commissioners that it was necessary to provide separate examinations, and in 1904, the schemes were altered again. £90 was provided for the New Borough Schools, and £30 was provided for the Old Borough Schools. Among the winners were Peter Leo Keane (1909), principal of Swords Boys NS from 1946-1960 and Patrick O Neill (1922), principal of St Patrick’s NS, Cloghraun and assistant teacher in St Colmcille’s BNS.

Exams

In the early years of the “Fee” the pupils had to do fifteen exams and they were as follows:

Grammar	75
Composition	100
Geography	50
Arithmetic	100
Geometry and Mensuration (Boys)	100
Algebra (Boys)	100
Needlework (Girls)	100
Cookery (Girls)	100
Drawing	75
Elementary Science and Object Lessons	100
Health and Habits	50

Compositions

They had to do thirty 1-page compositions in a year and at least 20 full page drawings.

Primary Certificate Examination

In 1944, a compulsory Primary Certificate Examination was introduced, and the “Fee” was given to the pupils who did best in this examination. The subjects examined were Irish, English and Arithmetic. There were also oral examinations in English and Irish. The “Fee” was last done in 1966.