School plan is 'biggest investment in education' on Cork's northside in 40 years

A school extension worth more than €25m will commence construction at the beginning of January, in what has been described as the biggest investment in education on the city's northside in 40 years.

The Department of Education has issued an approval to proceed to construction for Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG school, on the campus of the North Monastery.

The 4,600sq m extension, which is being funded by the Department of Education, will expand the school to cater for 700 pupils and two special education classrooms.

Principal Donal Ó Buachalla told The Echo: “This is the biggest investment in education on the northside in 40 years. It’s going to be wonderful for the school and surrounding community.” 

He said that a contractor had been appointed and was intending on starting the work in the first two weeks of January, with a two-year timeline for the completion of the works from that point, adding that the plans have been going through various processes with the department for the last three years.

“With the new classrooms, we’ll be able to offer new subjects such as graphics and home economics, so we’ll be broadening our curriculum," he said.

“I’d like to thank everyone who has assisted getting the project to this stage, our fantastic board of management, Joseph O‘Brien and his team in KOBW architecture and various department officials who have been extremely helpful.” 

He added that the overall cost of the project will be €25.2m, and that the school is separately planning a sports development including an all-weather pitch which will require another €2m.

Fine Gael TD for the area, Colm Burke, told The Echo that the approval to proceed to construction marked “a very important day for education on the northside of Cork city.” 

Mr Burke said that he and his party colleague councillor Damian Boylan welcome the approval, describing it as “a major milestone for families and children who wish to complete their secondary school education through Irish, and a strong statement of support for Gaeilge, educational choice and education more specifically on the northside of our city.” 

Fianna Fáil TD Pádraig O’Sullivan also welcomed the news, congratulating the principal and board on getting it over the line: “It's an indication of the massive investment that Government has and is providing, particularly in the areas of education and our youth.” 

It comes as Cork TD and Minister for Special Education and Inclusion, Michael Moynihan, welcomed a major investment of €7.2m for schools across Cork, delivered via the Minor Works and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) grant schemes, which aims to modernise classrooms and ensure school buildings remain fit for purpose.

Mr Moynihan said: “This investment is about more than just buildings. It’s about ensuring every child in Cork, from our largest towns to our smallest rural villages, learns in an environment that is safe, modern, and digitally equipped.”