(Gaeilge) Acmhainn nua foghlamtha Gaeilge do pháistí
November 14, 2016
(Gaeilge) Ó Pheann an Phiarsaigh ar camchuairt i dtuaisceart na tíre
November 14, 2016
New Laois Bilingual secondary school gets green light in Portlaoise
November 10, 2016
The first secondary school in Laois to have a strong Irish language emphasis has got a green light, with a promise by the new patrons to enhance the diversity of education in Portlaoise.
The Department of Education and Skills last year announced that a fourth 1,000 pupil secondary school was planned for Portlaoise, one of the fastest growing towns in Ireland.
Last week news came that the patron chosen to run it is Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board, with trustee partner An Foras Pátrúnachta, who are offering a co-educational, multi-denominational option, with an Irish language unit for those who prefer to learn through Irlsh.
The school may pick up many of the 300 students from Gaelscoil Phortlaoise, and possibly some more from Gaelscoil an tSlí Dála and Gaelscoil Thromaire, who up to now had to go by bus to Kildare or Carlow to continue education through Irish.
However, the school will include education through english.
An Foras Pátrúnachta, the main patron of Irish-medium schools, says it will be the first time that an Irish unit is planned to grow into an independent Gael-choláiste, under the co-patronage of two organisations.
They were chosen over one other applicant, the Catholic ethos organisation Ceist who run St Mary’s CBS and Scoil Chríost Rí in Portlaoise.
Educate Together withdrew an earlier application .
Joe Cunningham, Chief Executive of LOETB, said the school will cater for diversity in Portlaoise. “It will be inclusive and represent all communities,” he said.
He is determined to push ahead with plans.
“We hope to appoint a principal as early as possible. We will be seeking an early meeting with the Dept. of Education to plan the timeline and logistics for opening the school. No decision has been made on a site but given that the school is to open in September 2017, temporary accommodation will be required,” he said.
The school will initially take in only first years. A new school will be built in 2021, to cater for 1,000 pupils.
Parents can register expressions of interest for enrolment on the LOETB website, while a lot of calls are already coming in, Mr Cunningham said.
“It is very encouraging. We will keep the community fully-informed on all developments as they occur,” Mr Cunningham said.
He thanked the community of Portlaoise who supported their application, as well as his board and staff, particularly Director of Schools Linda Tynan and Coiste Bunaithe Phortlaoise.
Caoimhín O’hEaghra, General Secretary of An Foras Pátrúnachta is delighted.
“Choice is very important to us and we are delighted that parents’ preferences were considered as part of this patronage selection process. The new school will provide diversity in being both co-educational and multi-denominational.
“Our aim is provide Irish-medium education to every child who wants it. We will use our expertise to grow the Irish-medium unit in the new secondary school into an independent Gaelcholáiste under the co-patronage of the two organisations,” he said.
Laois TD, Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan welcomed the news.
“There has been a rapid population increase in Laois which has put severe pressure on secondary schools. Construction of a further secondary school in Portlaoise will ensure that there are sufficient school places for pupils in the area. The priority now is to ensure that the building is commenced without delay,” he said.
FORNOCHT DO CHONAC / NAKED I SAW YOU
November 8, 2016
FORNOCHT DO CHONAC / NAKED I SAW YOU
By Eoghan Ó Tuairisc
Directed by Eoin Mac Diarmada
Abbey Theatre
9-12 November
An interrogation of the legacy of 1916 revolutionary Patrick Pearse.
A disillusioned sculptor called Pearse, hiding from a crime of violence, questions the legacy of Padraig Pearse and whether his spirit and ideology are a force for good or evil?
This play was first performed in 1979 and is a scathing look at Irish society, still relevant today.
A multimedia production from An Taibhdhearc, the National Irish Language Theatre, performed in Irish with English surtitles.
(Gaeilge) Cleas Act ar TG4
November 7, 2016
New school site is ‘too cramped’
November 7, 2016
A drive is developing to persuade Education Minister Richard Bruton to allow Gaelscoil Chill Mhantáin to remain at its current site rather than moving to Merrymeeting.
A petition was started late on Friday night and already had over 200 signatures at the time of going to press, while Independent TD Stephen Donnelly has also lent the campaign his support.
Calls are being made to allow the school remain at the site of the old Abbey Community College rather than moving to the Merrymeeting site which critics say is too cramped.
Deputy Donnelly said he has been contacted by a large number of constituents over the proposed building of a new school at Merrymeeting.
‘I visited the site earlier this week and it appears that the outdoor space available to up to 500 students will be the size of two basketball courts and a playground even smaller in area.
‘This is simply not acceptable.
‘It is difficult to understand why, in a county such as Wicklow, the Department of Education has decided to place this school on such a cramped site.
‘The school is currently located on the former Abbey Community College site. Although this site is not perfect, and further works will be required, compared with the costs associated with building a new school, they are tiny. Gaelscoil Chill Mhantáin have been waiting for almost a decade for a new school, but this is simply not the correct site.
‘I am calling on Minister Bruton to act to ensure that the school is located on a site with both the appropriate outdoor area for students and room for expansion.’
Supporters of the campaign to remain at the Abbey site also point out that 52 per cent of Gaelscoil pupils live in Wicklow town, 24 per cent in Rathnew and 24 per cent in surrounding areas.
So far the petition with over 200 signatures has only been launched online at Facebook, but campaigners plan to call door-to-door looking for further signatures.
The petition will then be presented to Education Minister, Richard Bruton, later in the month in a move to try and change his mind regarding a suitable, permanent home for the school.
‘Be safe and be seen’ as ESB visit two local schools
November 7, 2016
Dublin-based ESB staff have presented high visibility vests to Junior Infants at two Fingal schools in recent weeks.
The safety initiative has been rolled out at Gaelscoil Bhrian Boroimhe in Swords and at Gaelscoil Ros Eo in Rush.
ESB Networks have partnered with the Road Safety Authority (RSA) to distribute over 80,000 high visibility vests to Junior Infants students across the country who started school this year.
The RSA and ESB Networks are calling on parents, guardians and teachers to make sure road safety is top of the school checklist this year.
The high-visibility vests will help children be seen in the dark winter mornings and even darker evenings and is a welcome initiative from the ESB and the Road Safety Authority.
Carmel Hanrahan from the ESB had the pleasure of visiting Gaelscoil Ros Eo to hand over that school’s allocation of high-visibility jackets while it was the happy duty of Noeleen Daniels to deliver the vests to the children at Gaelscoil Bhrian Boroimhe.
(Gaeilge) Moladh déanta ag Bord Fhoras na Gaeilge maidir le ceapadh Príomhfheidhmeannaigh
November 4, 2016
New Laois bilingual secondary school will provide diversity in Portlaoise said Irish language patron
November 4, 2016
The Irish language group that will co-patron Portlaoise’s new secondary school say the new school in Portlaoise will provide diversity in being both co-educational and multi-denominational.
An Foras Pátrúnachta and the Laois Offaly Education and Training Board were approved as a trustee partners of a new school by the Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton TD.
Caoimhín O’hEaghra is General Secretary of An Foras Pátrúnachta.
“We are delighted to have been approved as a trustee partner for this new secondary school in Portlaoise. We look forward to working with Laois Offaly Education and Training Board who have a long history of excellent education provision in this region.
‘‘Choice is very important to An Foras Pátrúnachta and we are delighted that parents’ preferences were considered as part of this patronage selection process. The new school in Portlaoise will provide diversity in being both co-educational and multi-denominational.
‘‘Our aim is provide Irish-medium education to every child who wants it. The Irish-medium unit will ensure that there is more diversity of language provision and we will use our expertise to grow the Irish-medium unit in the new secondary school into an independent Gaelcholáiste under the co-patronage of the two organisations,” he said.
The other applicant for patronage was the Catholic Schools body CEIST.
New Portlaoise secondary school will teach in Irish and English
November 4, 2016
Portlaoise’s new secondary school, due to open in September 2017, is to offer classes in Irish as well as English.
The patron of the new school was announced today, November 3 as Laois Offaly Education and Training Board (ETB), partnered with An Foras Pátrúnachta. It will include an Irish language unit, Aonad Lán-Gaeilge.
The patron was chosen by the Department of Education, with one other submission by the Catholic organisation Ceist, which is already patron of Scoil Chriost Ri and St Mary’s CBS.
Laois TD and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Charlie Flanagan, welcomed the announcement.
“The development of a fourth secondary school marks unprecedented progress in the education sector in Portlaoise and will ensure that Portlaoise will have an excellent suite of first class schools”
“There has been a rapid population increase in Laois which has put severe pressure on the secondary schools in the area. Construction of a further secondary school in Portlaoise will ensure that there are sufficient school places available for pupils in the Portlaoise area. The priority now is to ensure that the school building is commenced without further delay,” he said.
The school will open in temporary accommodation for first year students, with the location not yet announced.
A permanent new building is to be constructed, which once fully operational, will cater for 1000 students.
Minister Flanagan noted that many other schools around Laois need repairs.
“I am acutely aware that a number of schools around the county are in need of repair and upgrade. In addition, it is essential that the new school building for St Francis Special School is progressed without further delay. I am working with the Department of Educationto ensure that these issues are addressed,” he said.
The patron was chosen by the Department of Education, with one other submission by the Catholic organisation Ceist, patron of Scoil Chriost Ri and St Mary’s CBS. A submission was withdrawn by Educate Together following a lack of local support in their proposal.
