*Pupils and Ms Gráinne Conlon at Leinster House with Fine Gael TD Joe Cooney
A PROPOSAL to transition O’Callaghan’s Mills National School into an Irish-medium Gaelscoil has received widespread support from Clare councillors, with a decision on the plan expected later this month.
The school is exploring the possibility of becoming a Gaelscoil, with approval from its patron still required before the proposal can proceed.
Principal Gráinne Conlon recently met with Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton at Leinster House, alongside local Fine Gael TD Joe Cooney, to discuss the school’s plans.
The meeting followed a visit by pupils and staff to Leinster House, where they were invited by Mr Cooney.
In a statement to the Clare Echo, Ms Conlon said the meeting with the Minister provided an opportunity to discuss the school’s future development and its aspirations to provide Irish-medium education in East Clare.
The proposal has generated interest and support across the wider East Clare catchment area, she said, with a decision expected by the end of November, pending approval from the school’s patron.
The proposal was also discussed at the November meeting of Clare County Council, where Cllr Conor Ryan (FG) brought a motion calling on the Minister to support the provision and development of new Gaelscoileanna in Clare.
Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Ryan said Irish had never been as culturally important to people, pointing to growing interest in the language and describing the proposed transition at O’Callaghan’s Mills as a potentially “transformative” development for the school and village.
He commended Ms Conlon for the work she had undertaken to advance the proposal, describing her business case as “fantastic”.
Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) said the proposal was a wonderful idea and could help increase pupil numbers, adding that he supported the establishment of Gaelscoils in communities across the county.
Cllr Tommy Guilfoyle (SF), whose two daughters attended Gaelscoil Mhíchíl Cíosóg in Ennis, said both were fluent in Irish and there was a need for a greater number of Gaelscoils.
Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua (FF), whose sons also attended the Ennis school, said having more Gaelscoils in Clare could help increase the number of pupils progressing to Gaelcholáiste an Chláir.
Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) also expressed support, saying one of his “biggest regrets” was not having a stronger grasp of the Irish language.
Cllr Michael Begley (IND) and Cllr Pat Burke (FG) also voiced their support for the proposal, with the latter commending Ms Conlon for her work on progressing it.
Cllr Ryan described the proposal as a “fantastic opportunity”, saying it could also serve as a pilot for other districts if it gets off the ground. He said the benefits could be “transformative” and that the school should know by the end of the year whether the proposal will be successful.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
