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Gaelscoil to set up home in former swimming pool

September 27, 2011

THE notion of total immersion in the Irish language is being taken to new lengths by a Gaelscoil which will move to a former swimming pool next year.

The 105 pupils of Gaelscoil Dhroichead na Banndan are already looking forward to the move from the Charlie Hurley Park GAA grounds in Bandon, where the school has operated since it opened in 1995. With the help of the owner of a leisure centre that closed in 2008, it is hoped the clubhouse and prefabs will be left behind before the next summer holidays. “We’ve been really grateful for the use of the GAA club over the years and we’ll be keeping up links with the facilities here. But everyone’s delighted at the idea of being in a more suitable building designed specifically as a school,” said principal Seán Ó Láimhín. The luxury of having daily access to an 18-metre pool will not, however, be part of the deal. But although the pool is being filled in, it is being turned into a large sports hall that should make the Gaelscoil the envy of hundreds of primary schools.

The refurbishment works at the former leisure centre have just been granted permission by An Bord Pleanála and are expected to ready the premises for leasing to the school in November. The changes include the addition of first and second floors, and the provision of six classrooms, a learning support room, resource teaching room, principal’s office, staff room and other facilities.  “We already have pupils coming from seven miles and it’s the only Catholic primary school in the town for girls and boys around but this has great potential for us to attract more pupils and we already have a lot of prospective enrolments for next year,” said Mr Ó Láimhín. The move will not be the first unorthodox premises either for a Cork gaelscoil, with pupils from Gaelscoil Uí Drisceoil moving into a disused hotel building near Glanmire a few weeks ago after a number of years at a rugby club grounds. The staff and children at Gaelscoil Chloch na gCoillte, meanwhile, have been working out of a building originally planned as a bank since 2009 after years of operating from prefabs. However, they are hoping for a purpose-built home of their own on foot of a recent application to Clonakilty Town Council to build a 12-classroom school.

Irish Examiner – Niall Murray