First teacher appointed to new Gaelscoil Ráth Tó
June 10, 2010
The founding committee of Gaelscoil Ráth Tó said this week they are delighted with progress so far in setting up the school for the autumn.
This week alone, the school’s first teacher has been appointed and the school’s venue for the first year has also been finalised.
The new gaelscoil will be established in Ratoath this autumn despite not receiving recognition from the Department of Education. This has been accomplished with the support of a number of national Irish language organisations. A national campaign called ‘Aitheantas’ (Irish for ‘Recognition’) has now centred on getting the Ratoath school recognised, since no new gaelscoileanna have been given departmental recognition in the Republic since 2008, the founding committee said.
Speaking for the committee, Seán ó Buachalla said steady progress was being made in making the school a reality by the end of the summer. “We are very happy to welcome experienced teacher Tricia Ní Mhaolagáin on board as the first teacher in the school and we look forward to working with her to establish the best school possible for the children of Ratoath.
“Tricia has made clear her commitment to Irish language education and also to the challenge of establishing a new school and we are certain that she will help set the school up on a sound footing,” he said. “In addition to this positive news, we have finalised an agreement with Ratoath Community Centre to provide accommodation for the school for the academic year 2010-2011. “We are happy to be able to begin the school in such modern and comfortable surroundings and it will also help to give the school a position of prominence in the middle of the village, which should go a long way to raise awareness of the school’s existence,” he added. “We want to make it clear to the people of Ratoath that the school will be open for business and we give our thanks to all who have assisted us, especially to the parents and the Irish language organisations who are assisting us in numerous ways to established the school.”
Gaelscoil Ráth Tó will be opening on 30th August next. The school is still accepting registrations for 2010 and beyond. Contact gaelscoilrathto@gmail.com or phone (087) 332 8650 for further information.
Fundraising for the school continues and all donations and support will be gratefully received, as the school receives no Government funding and is completely reliant on voluntary contributions, the founding committee said.
Meath Chronicle
09 Meitheamh 2010
