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Clonmany to get new school
14.05.08
19th century school to
be replaced by 21st century building
by Damian Dowds, Inishowen Independent
CLONMANY National School, which has put
countless thousands of children through its doors
since it opened in 1834, is to be demolished and
replaced with a brand new purpose built school.
Work on the new eight classroom school began on 1
May, and the first students will be taught there
some time in 2009. |
“We had a 19th century
school that wasn’t fit for teaching our 21st century
curriculum,” school principal Noelle Doherty said.
“We had no room to spare for anything and it made
implementing the new curriculum, which emphasises
the inclusion of children with special needs, all
but impossible.”
Built before the Famine, the school building was
last renovated in the early 1950s and the
application to get a |
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new school was first
made in 1998. “One of the Department’s design team
described the school as museum piece, he couldn’t
believe it was still in operation,” Principal
Doherty said.
Work had been due to commence in September 2007, but
this was delayed due to budgetary concerns. The new
school will have eight classrooms, a general
purposes hall, a purpose built staff room and
resource rooms. The two storey building will also be
served by lifts that will provide easy access for
children with disabilities.
“The general purposes hall will be wonderful,”
Doherty said. “We don’t have a room like it and have
had to rent a hall to do physical education. The
plan for the school is a ‘generic repeat design’ and
we have visited a school in Kilmacrennan built to
the same design. It really is very exciting.”
When the new school is completed the existing 174
year-old school building will be demolished to
provide playing space for the school’s 166 pupils.
“We’re thankful to our boards of managements and
parents’ committees who continue to fundraise for
us,” Doherty concluded. “I’m also grateful to the
staff who have worked here over the years, often in
very trying circumstances.” |
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