Skerry's College Cork

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

[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..".

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