WORK has commenced in Mercy Mounthawk on a €1.7 million project which will improve and develop facilities in the school.

The extension will contain seven classrooms,  four resource rooms an extended canteen space – which will double as a performance space – and a new toilet block.

At the turning of the sod in Mounthawk were, Minister Jimmy Deenihan, Mayor of Tralee Jim Finucane and Arthur Spring TD.

The extension was made possible through the allocation of a devolved grant from the Department of Education.

“We are very thankful to our local politicians and especially Minister Deenihan for their support in delivering this development,” said Mounthawk Principal John O’Rourke.

“The realisation of this project has also been made possible through the reliable support of the parents – through  very considerable and ongoing fundraising. We undertook an ambitious plan to raise €250,000 to provide for the extension of the canteen space and with the support of the parents and the local community we are halfway through to that target,” said John O’Roarke.

While the project is taking place over the next year it will bring an injection of work into the Tralee area.

The design team is led by Liam Waldron and Cathal Sheehy from MRG consulting in Tralee and the contract was won by Evans and Kelliher from Milltown.