MILESTONE YEAR FOR SCOIL CHUALANN
STAFF, parents, past pupils and friends of Scoil Chualann gathered at the Summerhill House Hotel in Enniskerry last Saturday night to celebrate 40 years of education and the Irish language.
The fundraising dinner dance included a delicious meal and plenty of music and dancing. There was ceili dancing and everyone took part.
Noreen Dodd, who teaches Irish dancing in the school, ensured that everyone knew the steps. The Dodder Banks Ceili band played. Martin and Emma Dodd are parents at the school and also played in the band. There was plenty of Irish spoken on the night and the event was a real celebration of Irish in Bray, the culture as well as the language. School principal Carmel Uí Gharbhín said that in 40 years, 1,525 children have been through the school, which means all of those children are now fluent Irish speakers.
She said that there are now two Irish-speaking primary schools, and one secondary school in the town of Bray, which means the language is booming in the town.
Scoil Chualainn was founded in 1977. The school was initially in the parish rooms beside the church, then they moved to Kilcroney to where John of Gods had a nursing home, and moved to their current building at Putland Road in January 1986. Ms Uí Gharbín thanked all of the local business who generously donated to the auction on the night.