KINSALE'S newest school, Scoil Naomh Eltin, was officially opened by the Minister for Education, Jan O'Sullivan last week.
By Kieran O’Mahony
KINSALE’S newest school, Scoil Naomh Eltin, was officially opened by the Minister for Education, Jan O’Sullivan last week.
Senior students from the school welcomed the County Mayor Alan Coleman, Bishop John Buckley along with Minister O’ Sullivan at the foundation stone. All the students then formed a guard of honour to the front door and stood to attention to sing the National Anthem, while Minister O’Sullivan, assisted by junior and senior students cut the ribbon to formally announce the school open.
The new building was blessed by Bishop John Buckley and in the course of his address he paid tribute to the teachers of the school and to the teachers of all Catholic schools. Bishop Buckley also paid tribute to the great co-operation between schools and homes in the area and he said that partnership was so important today.
The co-educational school’s new building consists of 16 classrooms, a general-purpose hall, a library, support accommodation, two playgrounds and a play area and there are currently 185 pupils enrolled in the school.
School principal Susan O’Hanrahan thanked the Department of Education and spoke of the need for quality education.
‘To make it the best, let us create a school where you want to be. A school where learning is fun, a school where teachers are trained, not in theory, but in reaching out to you, in engaging, in questioning, in challenging and awakening your curious minds,’ she said.
Invitees packed the school hall and foyer and were entertained by students in dance, song and a video performance of the Scoil Naomh Eltin Anthem. St John’s Boy School and St Joseph’s Girls School were amalgamated together to form Scoil Naomh Eltin Cionn tSaile in September 2013 and they moved into their new building in September 2014.
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