Editing Ardee (section)

=== Smith schools ===
A philanthropic trust founded by [[Erasmus Smith]] in the 17th century funded the establishment of a boys' school in 1806 and a girls' school in 1817. Both Protestant and Catholic children were allowed to attend. At the time there were other schools but in 1824 they became the sole schools in the area. The Smith schools amalgamated into a combined-sex establishment by 1858, by which time the National School movement was leading to the creation of denominational schools there. The school remained a non-denominational institute but the school decreased in numbers and in 1868 had a roll of only 16 Protestant boys. It was fully integrated into the National School system in 1954, when it became known as Saint Mary's Church of Ireland National School.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Quane|first=Michael|year=1969|title=The Erasmus Smith School, Ardee|journal=Journal of the County Louth Archaeological Society|volume=17|issue=1|pages=10–18|doi=10.2307/27729188|jstor=27729188}}</ref>