By Harry Walsh
THE new millennium has ushered in a bright new future for a small Gaeltacht school near Churchill.
In 1999 when principal Therese McMonagle took up her post there were only 11 pupils at Scoil an tSratha Mhóir, Gleann Domhain. Today, the school boasts a roll-book of 35 children and two teachers.
Numbers have grown three fold in the intervening nine years at the school which is the heart and focal point of the small tight knit Glendowan community.
On Tuesday morning, pupils, parents and the people of Glendowan and surrounding areas gathered at the school as Minister Éamon Ó Cuív, Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, performed the official opening of the extension at Scoil an tSratha Mhóir.
In his address, Minister Ó Cuív paid tribute to all involved in helping to bring the new school extension to fruition.
"Small rural communities are great places in which to raise children. They're friendly, safe places with loads of other attractions. Our challenge in Government is to maintain that. We have to ensure that little schools continue to grow and don't have empty classrooms.
"We have to ensure that there are children for all schools and enough schools for all children," Minister Ó Cuív said.
Noting that the school's motto was: 'To treat others as you would like them to treat you' Minister Ó Cuív said there would be few problems in the world today is such as motto was adopted world-wide.
"It's a big day of celebration for this community. This is more than just a new building. Each and every parish should have a school at the heart of its community. Seeds of doubt were sown when the numbers were down as low as eleven but I note that there are now 35 pupils at this school. That doesn't happen without huge effort on the part of everyone in the community, especially the principal," Minister Ó Cuív said.
Fr Michael McKeever, CC, is the new Chairman of the Board of Management. He paid tribute to his predecessors on the board, the architect Joe Morgan and the builders Donal and Eugene Boyle for their hard work and efforts.
He also paid tribute to Carol O'Callaghan who helped to create the school garden and local artist Brid McCormick, whose painting of Gartan Lake was presented to Minister Ó Cuív.
The Prayers of Blessing were led by Bishop Philip Boyce. Also in attendance were Fr Pat McHugh PP and Rev Stewart Wright.
In her address Ms McMonagle said that the newly refurbished school helped to consolidate the future.
"It engenders a lot of pride in the community, heralding a noticeable increase in the number of new homes being built in the area and a significant rise in the school enrolment," she said.
Turning her attention to the plight of the small rural, often disadvantaged school, the principal complimented the Government's devolved grant scheme which was set up to finance the refurbishment of smaller schools.
"It meant that the cost of the extension (¤500,000) was paid in full by the Department and therefore I think due credit must be given in this regard," Ms McMonagle said.
Paying tribute to her teaching colleagues, parents and members of the Board of management, Ms McMonagle singled out the school's two musicians.
"Seamus and Eva have been with us for the past eight years and have engendered a love and appreciation of music in each and every pupil, a talent that has given children the confidence and opportunity to play for various audiences near and far. The fact that each and every child leaving this school can play an instrument, some even two or three, speaks volumes for itself and gives the children a life long interest and appreciation," she said.
There followed a musical recital by the children of the school with an exhibition of Irish dancing from Jade Farrell and Lynn Toner.
