CORK secondary school Pobalscoil na Tríonóide, Youghal, recently held a celebration in their school to mark the official opening of a hair and beauty salon for their Leaving Cert Applied students.

The salon has been opened as a facility in their school for developing students’ hair and beauty skills. Local beautician and salon owner Kathleen Hurley Mullins, who appeared on Operation Transformation earlier this year officially opened the hair and beauty salon.

Lorna Daly who teaches in the Youghal secondary school said the idea was generated by their principal Séamus Ó Ceallacháin and the senior management team at the school. “It came about through our principal and our senior management team who recognised the emerging needs of the students. We were reintroducing Leaving Cert Applied to the school. 

"We recognised that hair and beauty is very popular among students nowadays. Mary Donovan our LCA co-ordinator was very instrumental in bringing it all to fruition. We also reached out to the local community to Margaret Anderson who is a hair and beauty therapist.

“She agreed to come on board to help the students prepare for their exams,” she said.

The new hair and beauty salon in the secondary school was designed and built by school caretakers Anthony McCarthy and Richard Griffin over the space of a six-week period. 

Ms Daly paid tribute to the caretakers for their expertise. “Our talented caretakers Anthony McCarthy and Richard Griffin built the salon. The facilities are state-of-the-art. The students are grateful to both Anthony and Richard who did a great job turning a classroom into a salon. Their thanks even extended to them giving both Anthony and Richard a manicure.”

“There is a great spirit in the school, and we have great links with the community which is what we are all about. All the students are great, and they are so good to work with. They are very proud of the new addition to the school,” she added.

Ms Daly said that gratitude was the main theme for the official opening of The Salon. “We had a lovely opening ceremony. Kathleen Hurley Mullins came down to open it and the students were delighted. We are proud to have such a fantastic facility for our students.”