In pictures: Gaelscoil celebrates 40 years of educating the community in Fermoy

A NEWS item in then  Evening Echo about an Irish language pre-school facility in Fermoy led to the establishment of a Gaelscoil two years later in the north Cork town, an auspicious beginning now being commemorated in a new book which was published recently as part of Gaelscoil De hÍde’s fortieth-anniversary celebrations.

Editor/author of Bunú Gaelscoil de hÍde (Memories about the establishment of Gaelscoil de hÍde) Tadhg Ó Síocháin said that the item in the Evening Echo in October 1982 about the naíonra being set up following the rebirth of the Conradh na Gaeilge branch in the town had led to a phonecall from the late Pádraig Ó Cuanacháin, a Cork city based organiser for Gaelscoileanna, an organization to set up Irish medium schools.

Legendary

Pádraig Ó Cuanacháin was a legendary figure in the Irish language community, establishing Irish medium schools all over Cork as well as founding the city’s Irish language organisation, Gael-Taca.

“I was at home alone when the phone rang late enough not long after the item was published in the Evening Echo,” he recalled.

The ensuing phone conversation started with praise for what had already been achieved in Fermoy, leading Tadhg to wonder what was coming next, and then the call to action came — wouldn’t it be a good idea to set up an Irish medium school in the town.

Tadhg explained that he didn’t think this was possible as there were already excellent schools well established in the town and he wasn’t sure there was a demand for a Gaelscoil.

“I recall him saying that the same modern methods used to sell Coca-Cola could be as effective selling Irish medium education.”

Shortly afterward Tadhg spoke to a local Fianna Fáil member, Aindí Mac Craith, who had turned up at a meeting about the naíonra and was impressed with his commitment to the language. When Tadhg had spelled out the need to get wide support across the community for the idea, Aindí said it was possible to turn the dream of opening a Gaelscoil into a reality.

A number of other people came on board with Tadhg and Aindí — these included Seán Ó Gionnabháin, Mícheál Ó Duibhir, Marian Uí Eachtigheirn, and Padraig Ó Braoin.

Opened

From there the project grew and in September 1984, Gaelscoil de hÍde opened first of all in the old Church of Ireland Adair School premises on Oliver Plunkett Street and, later, in the home of the old Tech on the town’s main street. They faced two main challenges, finding a premises and registering 20 pupils to start off in naíonáin beaga/junior infants.

Tadhg’s own daughter, who was barely four years old, was in the first class of 16 which started. They had had 20 children registered but a number dropped out just before the school opened. Nonetheless the opening went ahead.

The school’s first príomhoide was Seán Mac Gearailt. The impressive book thar was launched recently by County Mayor, Cllr Frank O’Flynn, in the school’s new premises in Dún Eala in Duntahane contains an interview with Mr Mac Gearailt detailing those early days.

The current príomhoide is Kerry All Ireland winning footballer Tomás Ó Sé and he heads a team of more than 20 teachers and ancillary colleagues providing education to 330 pupils.

As the old Irish saying goes, fiche bliain ag fás agus fiche bliain faoi bhlath, twenty years a growing and twenty years in bloom.