EIGHTEEN years is a hell of a long wait for work to begin on a new National School in Blennerville, but that day finally came on Monday morning.

“We’ve been waiting for this day an awful long time,” said principal of Blennerville National School, Terry O’Sullivan.

A brand new two storey school will be built on a site next to O’Shea’s Texaco in the village. Planned as a 60 week project, it is hoped pupils and staff will be in the new school by Christmas 2015.

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The new school will incorporate eight classrooms a PE hall and various administrative offices. It is expected that up to 100 people will be employed in the construction of the school between sub-contractors and the main contractors themselves, representing a boost for the construction industry in the Tralee area.

“The kids are so excited, the building site is in close proximity to the school so they can hear and see the diggers everyday. Parents are ecstatic because it was promised, then pulled by the last government in 2006,” said Terry O’Sullivan.

With the building of the new school, the old schoolhouse, which has stood since 1932, will be knocked to make way for a car-park. The new building will bring an end to the temporary prefabs that have been used to teach junior classes.

“It is a lovely building, but we have to knock it because that will be the only access to the new school,” said Terry.

At the official turning of the sod were Kerry TDs, Micheal Healy-Rae (Ind) and Minister Jimmy Deenihan (FG).

“They’ve been waiting so long for this school,” said Jimmy Deenihan TD. “It’s great for the teachers because they were working under difficult circumstances and from the pupils point of view, there will be a much better atmosphere around the place. This is also a good project to keep the contruction industry in the Tralee area – which has been hit very hard – ticking over,” said the Minister.