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HBC has little information about Irish school uniforms in the 1940s. One source indicated that most Irish boys wore caps, short pants, and knee socks to school in the 1950s until they were about 13 years old. Another source confirms this, indicating, "When I was a boy back in Ireland of the 1950's we wore grey worsted shorts to school until we were about 12 years old." Even older boys sometimes wore short pants to school. This was usually not because the school required it, but rather the opinion of the parents as to when their son was ready for long trousers. Thus at many schools there were some younger boys in longs and some older boys in short pants. Irish school uniforms began to change about the same time that they did in England. An Irish contributor was was in school in the 1960's reports that most boys wore short trousers to school up to the age of 13 or so.
Some information is available on schoolwear trends by decade. We do not have a lot of information on Ireland yet, but we have begun to collect basic information. Ireland achieved its independence during this period. The country was a generally poor area of Britain before independence and government economic policy after indepndence did not materially improve the economic situtation. And this was the cae even though Ireland as a neutral nstion was not devestated by World war II. You can see that in pat by the way children dressed for school.
HBC has little information about Irish school uniforms in the 1940s. Fashion throughout Europe was basically on hold throughout Europe during World War II (1939-45). Simple, practical styles were prevalent. Ireland did not participate in the War, but we have no information on fashion trends at this time. A HBC reader who has provided information about his experiences in the 1950s and 60s reports, "I suspect that schoolwear was not a lot different in earlier years, other than as with England, boys wore short trousers for a few years in the Secondary/Vocational Schools." Many primary chilkdren camnecto school barefoot, reflecting the prevalent poverty, especially in rural areas.
We continuec to see children coming o school brefoot in the early-1950s. One source indicated that most Irish boys wore caps, short pants, and knee socks to school in the 1950s until they were about 13 years old. Another source confirms this, indicating, "When I was a boy back in Ireland of the 1950's we wore grey worsted shorts to school until we were about 12 years old." Even older boys sometimes wore short pants to school. This was usually not because the school required it, but rather the opinion of the parents as to when their son was ready for long trousers. Thus at many schools there were some younger boys in longs and some older boys in short pants. Irish school uniforms began to change about the same time that they did in England.
An Irish contributor was was in school in the 1960's reports that most boys wore short trousers to school up to the age of 13 or so.
Some information is available on both primary and secondary schools:
Primary: Primary state school boys wore pullovers or "jumpers" with their shorts. Families were often large so a boy could expect to wear the same shorts for many years and to then hand them down to his younger brothers. This meant that the pants were often overtight and tended to ride up. He remembers the chilly Irish mornings with "lots of us huddled together, our bare knees joined to keep warm and everyone sprouting goose-pimples." HBC reader G. Jones tells us that during the early 1960s, "I don't believe many Irish Primary (Junior) Schools had uniforms as such. Most boys did wear school clothes similar to British Schoolboys. Grey shirt, tie, jumper (pullover) and grey flannel or Terylene trousers (long or short), grey socks and black shoes. Most primary school boys wore short trousers (up to age 11/12). Cordoruy trousers were sometimes worn (grey or rust coloured) although these were not that common."
Secondary: A HBC reader reports that State Secondary Schools (age 12/13 to finishing) didn't have uniforms either but again most boys dressed the same.
Private primary and secondary schools did have uniforms usually a black, blue or maroon blazer with grey or white shirt, school tie, grey flannel trousers, grey socks and black shoes. The blazer, whilst sporting a school badge, was usually of a plain colour (not striped) and rarely had the piping seen on British school blazers. The privileged boys in the private prep schools mostly wore short pants as part of a school uniform incorporating a blazer and knee socks with coloured garters.
School blazers in the 1960s were not common in state schools, and very rarely with a particular school badge. HBC is not sure, but believes that Ireland, like England, had academically selective grammar schools. These schools which often followed trends, including uniform trends, at English public schools were more likely to have blazers. Hopefully our Irish readers will privide more information on this. They were widely worn at private schools.
One Irish contributor believes that much of the fashion which kept Irish boys in short pants was fuelled by the teacher/managers' insistence that boys be kept in short trousers and boys long stockings as a reminder of their subservience and in the knowledge that a boy in shorts could always be told what to do. Some fathers supported this view although it was largely a fashion trend. School fashions began to change in the late 1960s. The fashion of boys wearing school shorts began to decline in the late 1960s.
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