Renovated hair and beauty salon for Coláiste Choilm

The Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) students of Coláiste/Gaelcholáiste Choilm, Ballincollig recently celebrated the opening of their renovated hair and beauty facilities.

To celebrate their new salon space, the students, along with their current hair and beauty teacher, Michelle O’Keeffe, held a salon day for family and staff members, providing a choice of a wash and blow dry, mini-facial, makeup and nail treatments to their clients.

With the generous assistance of local hairdresser and businesswoman Claire Wallace of The Salon in Ballincollig, the space was transformed into a high quality and functioning salon, with the new facilities including wash basins, salon chairs and lighted mirrors.

Ms Wallace, a former student of the school, said she had been delighted to lend a hand in the rejuvenation of the salon.

“It was an honour, as a past pupil, to be involved in the creation of a mini-salon in the school, especially as my own niece, Robyn, is part of the fantastic LCA programme there,” she said. 

“It is really great to have the creativity in the younger generation nurtured from secondary school, to help students to get a feel for the industry.” 

The students were involved in the renovations, choosing the colour scheme, painting the space with the guidance of their art teacher Frankie O’Reilly, and choosing uniform tops. Their woodwork teacher, Stephen Long, provided a reception desk.

According to LCA co-ordinator Conor Owens, the new hair and beauty salon is an extraordinary addition to Coláiste/Gaelcholáiste Choilm's extensive list of specialist classrooms, providing students with an opportunity for hands-on training.

“By empowering our students to explore their passion for hair and beauty in a professional setting, our new salon equips students with practical skills that extend beyond the confines of traditional classroom education, enabling them to excel in their future endeavors in the industry,” he said.

Three other salons, Revo in Cork City, Sinead’s Hair Studio in Cloghroe, and RMC Hair and Beauty in Ballincollig, also donated hairdressing trollies to the renovation.