By Louise Doyle

A PRESCHOOL owner who had to close the doors of her service after nearly two decades because the building it operated out of is being sold, has said more strain will now be put on a sector already under pressure.

Tanya Roberts Browne was the very proud owner of Rainbows Preschool in Carrigart, which was a ‘home from home’ to 16 children this year, shut its doors for the final time on June 17.

Despite a tireless search for other suitable premises in Carrigart in a bid to keep the much-loved preschool open, none were found.

Speaking to the Donegal News, an emotional Ms Roberts Browne said the closure will have a ripple effect for families, as children who attended the preschool will now have to travel to Milford or Creeslough because of a lack of appropriate premises.

“There is no suitable building in Carrigart,” she said.

“It really does need a purpose built building for a full day care service because the closest one to us would be in Milford and then Creeslough.

“It’s been really difficult. We would have been in our 16th school year in September.

“There are halls in Carrigart but they are community halls. We started out in halls 15 years ago. You lay your stuff out in the morning and pack it up at the end of the day. It is demoralising.

“You just want a place that when you turn the key in the morning it is exactly like you left it the day before.

“The area is without an English-speaking preschool for the time being. While we would have taught Irish, we didn’t teach through Irish so that will be a big change for the children as well.

“Even if I were to find other premises now, I wouldn’t be able to open in September because you have to go through a fit for purpose inspection with Tusla to bring it up to standard.”

Ms Roberts Browne said she contacted elected representatives for help.

“I had councillors looking into it for me, to check if funding was available but there was nothing. It was bad news all round.”

She praised the parents for their support.

“When I found out that the building was being sold I told our parents that while I was looking for other premises but that they should put their children’s names down elsewhere. They have been really supportive, and I am glad that I said to them to put their children’s names down elsewhere because I would hate for them to have nowhere to go. It would have been disastrous,” said the mum-of-three.

While not affiliated with Carrigart National School, Ms Roberts Browne said the majority of children from Rainbows Preschool would have gone on to attend the local national school.

She said it too may feel the impact of the preschool closure.

“I had nine children leaving this year to start national school in Carrigart. They might feel the impact of this next year.

“My numbers would have been good for the next few years because nearly all of the group I had have younger siblings who would have been eligible to start in the next year or two. I had a few mums who were expecting at the minute too.”

Closing the doors to the preschool, which was a hub for intergenerational families, was very emotional for Ms Roberts Browne and her staff member, Stephanie.

“So many families have come through the doors over the years. Taking the photos off the wall, it was funny looking at how much they have grown. My own three children came to Rainbows Preschool.

“The group I had this year were born during the Covid pandemic. They were my little Covid babies.”

A carer for her eldest son, Oisin, Ms Roberts Browne said she will take the next few months to spend with her family.

“I don’t feel like this is the end, and hopefully something might come up next year. They are doing works at Carrigart National School at the minute. There was no space for me this year but hopefully going forward there might be a possibility of a preschool on the school premises.

“It was just a home from home. Kids would come in and take off their shoes and take off their shoes and make themselves at home. It was about making that safe and secure environment for them.”