Skerry's College Cork

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Known as Skerrys College, Skerrys Academy, Skerrys Cork Business College or Skerrys Business College.

Contents 1 History of Skerrys College 2 Other Skerry's Colleges 3 Alumni 4 Griffith College Cork

[edit] History of Skerrys College

Skerry's College was founded in 1884 by Mr. George Skerry who was then a prominent mathematician and publisher of Commercial Arithmetic Texts. Mr. Skerry had other colleges in St. Stephen's Green, Dublin, in Belfast and in Britain. The Cork college is the sole surviving "Skerry's College". At the turn of the century, the College came under the ownership of a Mr. Collins of Sunday's Well, Cork who was in charge until 1913, when it was taken over by one of Mr. Collin's teachers, a Mr. Danny O' Sullivan. Mr. O' Sullivan later described his former "Master" as "an outstanding teacher of English and one of nature's gentlemen". Mr. O' Sullivan himself was described as a wonderful teacher, a great mathematician and a strict disciplinarian. At that time, Skerry's offered a special class for students studying for university matriculation and also specialised in bank courses for which a nomination was required. At that time, the banks only recruited male staff.

In 1943, Mr. McCarthy purchased the premises and goodwill of Skerry's. At that time he also had a shorthand and typewriting academy in Patrick Street. In 1944, that academy amalgamated with Skerry's. Mr. McCarthy was very committed to the College and did his utmost to secure employment for students. In 1947, the banks first started recruiting female clerks, for whom nominations were also required. The subjects for the Munster & Leinster Bank course at the time were: English, French, Arithmetic, Totting, Typewriting and Shorthand. Skerry's always secured numerous appointments with Munster and Leinster (AIB), Bank of Ireland and Cork Savings Bank(TSB). About this time also, the various County Councils began to hold competitive examinations for clerical shorthand/typists, and Skerry's students always secured the majority of the vacancies. These successes were printed in list form in the national daily newspapers. On Mr. McCarthy's death in 1962, his wife Gladys became Governing Director. Mrs. McCarthy maintained the tradition of Skerry's viz. that of fulfilling the particular training requirements of modern day business. She introduced Audio Typing as a subject and invested in electric and golf-ball typewriters.

In 1977, Mrs. McCarthy retired and Messrs. Jeremiah J. Carey and Thomas Carey purchased the goodwill of the College and Mrs Patricia Carey became Principal. The premises in South Mall was not for sale, so the directors purchased the building on St. Patrick's Hill which now houses the College. An Taoiseach, Mr. Jack Lynch, performed the official opening of the new premises.

Any history of the College is incomplete without reference to Miss Iris Barry, who name was synonymous with Skerry's. She joined the teaching staff of the college in 1935, and when she later became Principal, she displayed tremendous inspiration, dedication and foresight, and was the driving force behind the College's success until her retirement in 1989, having completed a record service of 63 years.

Audrey McCarthy was the College Director until June 2002 when the HSI Group based in Limerick purchased the business under the direction of Chairman Mr. Michael McNamara and College Director Mrs. Maria Horan.

Skerrys is mentioned by James Joyce in Ulysses (Episode 18) .."instead of sending her to Skerrys academy where shed have to learn..".

[edit] Other Skerry's Colleges

There were other Skerrys Colleges in Ireland, in "Skerry's Academy Dublin"(St. Stephens Green) which trained Civil Servants and Clerks, and in Belfast(143 Royal Avenue). Skerrys also set up a number of colleges in Britain such as Skerry's College, Edinburgh & Glasgow(Bath St.) were renowned for teaching Shorthand and Typing. There was a Skerry's College in Eldon place, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, as well as a "Commercial College" in Rodney St. Liverpool as well as one in Croydon, London.

In the 1913 Telephone Directory, Skerry's School of Shorthand & Commercial Training at 10 Harcourt Street, Dublin, as well as Skerry's Civil Service & Commercial College, in 76 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin and Skerry's College (Ireland) Ltd., is listed in 143 Royal Avenue, Belfast.

[edit] Alumni

Skerry’s College Alumni has several prominent members including former Taoiseach, Jack Lynch the former Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Peter Barry and former South Kerry TD Breeda Moynihan-Cronin.

In 1919 Tom Barry famous for his role in the war of Independence and book on the Flying Columns, enrolled in Skerrys business college.

Actor and Musician Ozzie Yue attended Skerrys College in Rodney St, Liverpool.

Actor Barry Fitzgerald went to Skerrys College Dublin before going on to work in the civil service.

[edit] Griffith College Cork

In February 2005 Griffith College acquired the business and goodwill, forming Griffith College Cork [1] (incorporating Skerrys College). Griffith College Cork incorporating Skerry's College, runs professional, undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Business, Law and Media & Journalism as well as a variety of Short term evening courses in office skills, payroll, psychology and design.