HUNDREDS gathered at Letterkenny’s Scoil Cholmcille on Wednesday for the official opening of its new multi-million euro campus.
In attendance was School Principal Padraig Cannon, Bishop Alan McGuckian, Former Minister for Education Deputy Joe McHugh, Chairman of the Board of Management Pascal Blake, Letterkenny Mayor Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly, Municipal County Councillors, board members, staff members past and present, parents, pupils and invited guests.
Teacher Martina Keys with Letterkenny Mayor, Cllr. Donal Kelly.
Opening its doors in 1896 at the location known to us today as the pastoral centre in Letterkenny, the school consisted of three rooms, two teachers, two Presentation Brothers from Cork and 70 pupils.
In response to growing enrolments the school had its second incarnation when the old boy’s school was occupied over 60 years ago in 1954.
As time continued, additional school accommodation was needed so in 1974 work began on a new building, the school’s third incarnation on the Convent Road, the building they are in today.
The new school opened in 1976 and was able to enrol all the infant boys who, up until then, had attended Scoil Mhuire gan Smál for Junior and Senior Infants.
As Letterkenny’s population continued to expand rapidly in the nineties, so did school enrolments.
Special guest, Joe McHugh, TD, unveiled a plaque at the opening of Scoil Cholmcille, with Paschal Blake, chairman of the Board of Management, Padraig Cannon, principal and Bishop Alan McGuckian.
At this time, Mr. Tom Reddan, Scoil Cholmcille’s former Principal, along with the Board of Management began discussions with the Department of Education for an extension.
It was 17 years ago since the Department of Education confirmed the long term schedule for a 24 classroom school.
One year later, Scoil Cholmcille’s current Principal Padraig Cannon was appointed.
Speaking at the opening Padraig told those in attendance of the many obstacles they had to overcome since they first received approval.
“In the past 16 years we had seven Ministers of Education, five changes of Government, four changes of Boards of Managements, one extension to planning permission, a major recession, the collapse of one of our design team companies, new fire certificate legislation, multiple meetings in the Department of Education in Tullamore and presentations to various Ministers both in Letterkenny and in Dáil Éireann.
“Yet despite these challenges, we finally got the green light and had our Covid turning of the sod ceremony by the then Minister for Education, Mr. Joe McHugh on Monday, August 24 2020.
“Construction started a fortnight later and within two years the entire new extension refurbishment programme was completed and ready to move in to last August just in time for the start of this school year,” he said.
Scoil Cholmcille, Letterkenny, which was officially opened on Wednesday.
Proud to be officially opening the new school campus, Padraig said the 21st century school building can now accommodate 612 pupil that are enrolled, 40 teaching staff, nine special needs assistants, two school secretaries and one caretaker.
“Children attending Scoil Cholmcille step into a multi-million euro school campus at 9 am each morning.
“They occupy light filled classrooms that are almost twice the size of classrooms in our old school building, our whiteboards have given way to interactive touch screens and traditional text books to modern tablets.
“Our children have new chairs, new desks, accessed serviced hot water, self-regulating classroom heating systems and a bespoke new library that occupies the heart of our building.
“Our children have access to a most generous, custom built sports hall that can accommodate two classes taking place for P.E. simultaneously.
“Our supportive parents have a new parent’s meeting hub where we can meet together and grow meaningful partnership engagement,” he said.
However, it doesn’t end there.
Staff members Eilis McCafferty, deputy principal, Rory Kavanagh and Carmel McMacken at the opening.
Four play yards stretch the full breadth of the campus, equipped with basketball hoops, soccer nets, lined markings and an infant tower frame.
The external grounds have been re-imagined and they serve both aesthetic and functional purposes with the development of 42 internal car parking spaces.
Situated at the front of the school is the ‘Tree of Unity’, a sculpture commissioned under the Per Cent for Art Scheme and funded by the Department of Education.
Commenting on the new sculpture, former Minister for Education, Joe McHugh said the tree is symbolic of what Scoil Cholmcille does.
“The Tree of Unity reflects the meeting of cultures and it reminded me of an old Irish saying ‘the people meet but the hills and the mountains don’t.
“It reflects the importance of meeting together.
“All the students that reflect all these different international communities and local communities, I wish you well in the future and what you are being given in this school is something really important.
“You are being given this space and the time to think and be creative,” he said.
At the event a number of students wore their National costume with pride while they waved their National flag.
Pupils wearing their National costumes during the opening cermony.
Although everyone gathered to celebrate the new building, Bishop Alan McGukian said it is the children of the school, the teachers and the wider school community who build the school brick by brick.
“Every brick is the choice to do good, to love the other and to be patient.
“For the children it is to choose to do the work when they would rather not and to be kind to those around them when they don’t feel like it.
“Every choice is a brick that builds a building far more wonderful than the one we celebrate today,” he said.
Bishop McGukian then blessed everyone involved in building the school and everyone in the community.
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