Gaelscoileanna band together to push for a Gaelcholáiste

FIVE Gaelscoileanna in Dublin, including Inchicore’s Gaelscoil Inse Chór, are involved in a campaign to establish a Gaelcholáiste in the wider community they are located in.

The schools have banded together in an effort to achieve a Gaelcholáiste in Dublin 2,4,6,8.

There is currently no Gaelcholáiste available for students in these areas when they finish primary school.

On Friday, at Blitz 2468, the five schools played in a football competition to start interaction and create friendships between students who want to attend a Gaelcholáiste in their own school area in the future.

Football teams from third and fourth class as well as some local politicians and a special guest were present on the day.

Colm Ó Nualláin, Principal at Gaelscoil Inse Chór, said: “More than 180 students from third and fourth class from Bunscoil Synge, Gaelscoil Inse Chór, Gaelscoil Lios na nÓg, Scoil Bhríde and Scoil Mológa attended the football competition today in our school and the day was a great success.

It was fantastic to see the students getting to know each other.

“It is incredible, however, that a Gaelcholáiste is not currently available for these students in their own school area when they finish primary school.

“The system is failing them by not facilitating them to continue their fluency and their educational experience through the medium of Irish which they have been able to do so far.

“This should be rectified now and a Gaelcholáiste should be established for them in their own school area.”

Clare Kavanagh, a parent with a child in Scoil Bhríde and Louisa Ní Eideáin with a child in Bunscoil Synge said: “We chose an education through the medium of Irish for our children and we don’t want this to stop when they leave primary school.

“That is not fair to our children or to any other child in the five schools that are part of the campaign to achieve a Gaelcholáiste in our school area.

“Blitz 2468 was organised as part of our campaign calling on the Minister of Education, Norma Foley, to establish a Gaelcholáiste in our school area.

“We hope that she takes this decision without further delay.”

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