Opening of New Irish-medium Schools
August 29, 2007
GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. welcomes the opening of four Irish-medium Primary schools and four Irish-medium Post-Primary schools in September 2007 who will be opening their doors for the first time this year.
The Irish-medium Primary schools are as follows:
- Gaelscoil Chluainín, Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim (Catholic ethos school),
- Gaelscoil na bhFilí, Gort, Co. Galway,
- Gaelscoil an Bhradán Feasa, Laytown, Co. Meath (under the patronage of Foras Pátrúnachta na Scoileanna Lán-Ghaeilge) and
- Gaelscoil Chionn tSáile, Kinsale, Co. Cork (Catholic ethos school under the patronage of the bishop of Cork & Ross).
The Irish-medium Post-Primary schools are:
- Gaelcholáiste Phort Láirge, Waterford City,
- Meánscoil Charman, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford
- Gaelcholáiste Bhun Cranncha, Buncrannagh, Co. Donegal and
- Gaelcholáiste an Inbhear Mór, Arklow, Co. Wicklow.
We also welcome the new Irish-medium schools in Northern Ireland that are opening with the help and support of our Educational Partners in the North, Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta. The schools in question are Gaelscoil Éanna, Glengormley, Co. Antrim and Coláiste Spéirín, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone.
Bláthnaid ní Ghréacháin, C.E.O. of GAELSCOILEANNA TEO., is delighted to welcome this progressive growth which celebrates all that is achieved by the founding committees and the Irish-medium Education sector. She says, "I commend all of the founding committees for their diligence and goodwill from start to finish for the last few years whilst working actively on a voluntary basis to ensure provision of Irish-medium education for their children." She confirmed that Irish-medium education is continuously and progressively growing at both levels for the last few years and that such a profound a growth has not been experienced since 1998 when 11 schools were opened.
She stated, however, that these schools will be operating from temporary accommodation for the next few years, as are nearly 50% of the total number of Primary Irish-medium schools in the country, including new and long established schools. However, she confirms that "GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. will continue it’s campaign with the Department of Education & Science to improve the situation of Irish-speaking schools, through fair accommodation and sufficient resources in line with the high standards achieved by the Irish-medium education system".
We wish every success to the new schools, their principals and teachers as well as the pupils that are embarking on a new important era in their lives and their parents too on this proud occasion. We also wish every continued success to all Irish-medium schools that are re-opening their doors in preparation for a new school year as they continue their hard work in providing an excellent standard of education through the medium of Irish.
GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. is the national co-ordinating body for schools teaching through the medium of Irish. It helps parents and local groups to set up new schools and supports the established all-Irish schools. There are 168 primary schools and 43 secondary schools outside the Gaeltacht (32 County) currently providing education through the medium of Irish.
Further Information:
Bláthnaid Ní Ghréacháin: 01-4773155
Mícheál Ó Broin: 087-9467700
ENDS
