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All at Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí are looking forward to the building of their new school in 2017.
THE Kerry Education and Training Board (Kerry ETB) has welcomed the announcement by the Minster for Education and Skills of the inclusion of the new school building for Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí in Tralee in the School Building Programme announced earlier this week.
The new school building has been included for 2017 and will be constructed on the Cloonmore site transferred by Kerry County Council to Kerry ETB recently.
Commenting on the announcement the Chairperson of the Kerry ETB, Cllr. Jim Finucane stated; “This is great news for Kerry ETB, the Staff, Students and Parents of Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí and the town of Tralee. The construction of the new school will provide modern facilities for the Staff and Students and also provide a boost to the local economy during the construction phase. As the Chairperson of Kerry ETB I look forward to the commencement of the planning and design process for the construction of the new school”.
The school celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2014. It has grown and developed over the years because there is a clear demand for second level education through Irish to a high standard, from parents, students, and the local Gaelscoileanna of which there are four: Gaelscoil Mhic Easmainn in Tralee; Gaelscoil Aogáin in Castleisland; Gaelscoil Lios Tuathail; and Gaelscoil Faithleann in Killarney. Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí is the only second level all-Irish school in County Kerry outside of the Dingle Gaeltacht.
The school is currently located in the in the former Tralee Technical School building in Moyderwell which was constructed in 1914.
This building was Head Office of the former Town of Tralee VEC. With the support of Kerry ETB and the Department of Education and Skills, considerable refurbishment has been undertaken in the building to upgrade the facilities and enhance the educational experience of the Students over the years.
However, with the student cohort now at 326, along with 27 teaching and ancillary staff, the building does not have adequate space to meet the current enrolment demands.
There is a demand from parents and prospective students for an expansion of the curriculum to include Art to Leaving Certificate level and to introduce new subjects, for example, music, home economics, technology and another business subjects.
The new school building will provide the school management and staff with purpose built facilities supporting the expansion of the curriculum to meet the needs of the students.
The CEO of Kerry ETB, Colm Mc Evoy in welcoming the Minister’s announcement thanked the Minister for Education and Skills, the Department of Education Officials, the members of the ETB Board, local Public Representatives, the Board of Management and the Management and staff of the Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí for all of their work and support in securing this announcement for the Gaelcholáiste.
“This is a momentous day for the management, staff and students and members of the wider community of Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí. The school celebrated its 25th anniversary last year and this new building with its modern facilities supports the future development and expansion of the Gaelcholáiste in the years ahead.”
