Twelve years in No Man’s Land for Westport school

NOT all anniversaries are good ones.

Today (Friday, February 4) marks the 12th anniversary of the Department of Education evaluating Holy Trinity National School, Westport, as ‘not fit for purpose’ in a Whole School Evaluation. They recommended a new school and got onto the building list but the new school has never happened.

Despite the school having secured a new site themselves, Holy Trinity NS still languishes at the project brief stage.

No construction, no design, no progress, just a threat of having to share their small site with another school.

It took six years to build Áras an Uachtaráin, seven years to build Ardnacrusha hydroelectric dam and power station, and in 10 years the Romans managed to build the Colosseum.

The school authorities ask: Surely a four-classroom national school in Westport can be managed?

Principal Orla Brickenden and the board of management are calling on the Minister for Education, Norma Foley, to do the right thing and begin building without delay.

They remain adamant that their site (the old Scoil Phadraig on Altamount Street) is suitable for one school only and the attempt by the department to squash two schools onto Holy Trinity’s site would compromise the pupils in both schools.

The 200-year-old Holy Trinity NS is full to capacity and desperate to expand. It is a lively, vibrant Church of Ireland school in the heart of the town which welcomes pupils of all faiths and none.

Its current enrolment is 62 pupils and it continues to thrive despite its facilities and building.

Children experience a rich, creative and child centred curriculum where all children and their parents are valued members of the school community.

Past pupils have a proud record and include some sporting stars in their number, Mayo senior footballers Fionn McDonagh and Rory Brickenden and Grace Browne-Moran who is on the Irish Ladies Rugby Sevens squad.