"In March 1976, the quiet and peaceful village of Drimoleague in West Cork was dramatically changed. Pickets were placed by teachers on the local national school and six other schools in the parish, which was the start of what was to become the longest running school strike in the history of the State The dispute was over the appointment of a school principal, which divided the small community down the middle. The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) claimed that the appointed teacher, Mr. Nicholas McCarthy, was ineligible as he didn’t have the full five years teaching experience required under Department of Education rules. Another unsuccessful candidate for the job was an executive member of the INTO and a local man Jimmy Collins. Central to the dispute was the Parish Priest and manager of the school, Fr John Crowley, an ex army chaplain who’d served with the UN in the Congo. The strike became extremely bitter and personalised. The newly appointed board of management of the school made it clear from the outset that they were backing Nicholas McCarthy for the job and would not contemplate any compromise or re-advertise the position. Matters went from bad to worse when parents passed the pickets, took over some of the classrooms and taught the pupils themselves. The INTO also instructed schools in the area not to take in students from the striking schools. The air was thick with accusations of harassment and intimidation, and even local businesses were boycotted. The parents took their case to the High Court and the Minister for Education was forced to provide the children with free school buses to alternative schools. Numerous settlements efforts were made but without success. The strike dragged on for 6 years, until 1982 and was eventually settled by a fudge, but at what a huge cost. The Children had been left at the side of the road for a year and a half and missed out hugely in their primary education. Division and bitterness infl