Downton Abbey star backs rural school's fight for survival

DOWNTON Abbey and Coronation Street actor Rob Collier found himself back in school in the west of Ireland this week.

Rob visited Scoil Naomh Padraig, An Chloch Bhreac, where he joined some of the pupils and parents for a photo shoot.

Rob has connections to the area in northwest Galway and taken by the school's quirky approach to increase pupil numbers and save their second teacher, he volunteered to visit Scoil Naomh Padraig to back their cause.

The rural primary school has initiated a novel approach to enrolment in a drastic bid to boost pupil numbers.

Scoil Naomh Pádraig, An Chloch Bhreac is a two-teacher school in northwest Galway that has seen pupil numbers dwindle in recent years.

It is currently two pupils short of the required 12 to ensure they maintain their second teacher.

The school is now offering a €2,000 bursary to families outside the area who want to relocate and enrol their children to the Connemara school. There is also a three-bedroom house available in the area for a family to rent if relocating from the towns/cities.

Ruaidhrí Kineavy, committee member with Scoil Naomh Pádraig, told the paper the bursary was launched in an appeal to help their classes for next year grow, which would allow the school keeping their second teacher.

Since the appeal was launched, six pupils have enrolled, leaving Scoil Naomh Pádraig only two pupils away from their goal of a total of 12 students.

Mr. Kineavy said: “We just need another two to keep the teacher for this year and then next year hopefully get another four or five in the class.

“So if we get four or five in the class every year, we could see the numbers start going in the right direction again and the next thing there’s a group of 20.

“If we get the numbers for this year I think that going forward we’re in a better position. In the long term we hope to get away from that, we don’t want to be worrying about losing a teacher.”

He continued: “I think it's a very good school with an excellent pupil to teacher ratio, it has a lot to offer and it would be a pity to see it lose a teacher. I think it’s going to bounce back in the next year or two.”

The initiative comes as the school is trying to attract new families in the area after the number of new students dropped over the past few years.

“I’m one of the committee members that’s been trying to attract a few extra pupils, keep the teachers we have, and grow the school in the next few years,” he said.

Mr. Kineavy explained the drop is due to 'different factors', including locals moving to bigger towns or cities, and the housing crisis. However, over the last few years some families have moved back to the area with approximately 14 preschool children now in the area.

For more information, see Scoil Naomh Pádraig, An Chloch Bhreac on Facebook or Instagram, phone (085) 8411050 or (087) 2110470 or email clochbhreac25@gmail.com.