‘Le Chéile Le Chroí’ tells the story of Lucan East Educate Together

By Echo Reporter

WHEN LUCAN EAST Educate Together opened its doors in September 2008 everything about the school was new, including the building, the principal and the staff.

This week at the school’s first 6th class graduation the occasion is being marked with the publication of “Le Chéile Le Chroí”, essentially a history book that tells the story of the first eight years of the school.

The book is the result of a year-long collaboration between author Margaret Callan Bergin and the 6th class students and their teachers Alan Deegan and Linda Maher. The book which is a limited edition will be launched today (June 30) as part of the student’s graduation by CEO of Educate Together Paul Rowe.

Along with Margaret’s great work, the students were centrally involved in producing the book. They became history detectives and created personal archive boxes, investigated the school story and engaged in drama workshops.

They then went on to interview all of their teachers and their principal Eddie Fox.

The teachers and Margaret developed a variety of strands to the project and it was decided to tie it in with the 1916 celebrations and create a permanent wall mural to reflect the project and the book.

By all accounts it has been a good eight years, but it will be an emotional farewell to the two 6th classes who were the first junior infants through the door of this school in 2008.

The students may be leaving and while they may be gone, their time in the school will not be forgotten as their artistic and historic footprint will remain there forever through this wonderful book and project.