Gaelscoil na Daróige
Encyclopedia
Gaelscoil na Daróige, Ballymagroarty, is an Irish language
medium school in Derry
, Northern Ireland
.
The school was founded in September 2005 as a result of the desire expressed by parents who had children in the local Irish Language
medium pre-school (Naíscoil Mhaol Íosa). It was noticed that most of the children who left the pre-school had gone to local English medium schools because the nearest gaelscoil (Irish-medium primary school) was considered to be too far away. Mr. Stephen Kenny
, Derry City Football Club
manager, who had a child at the Naíscoil, together with eight first year pupils and their parents, officially opened the new Irish Language
medium primary school.
The school passed the school inspection and as a result is on the DENI list of Independent Schools. Its funds are raised via collections and public and private contributions. The School's Management Committee forwarded a 'school development plan' to the DENI seeking full recognition and state funding. On the 8th August 2007, the minister for Education, Caitríona Ruane
approved the school for DE funding from September 2007, pending a minimum year one enrolment of 15 year-one pupils in September 2007. This caused a storm of controversy as it transpired she had done so against the advice of her senior civil servants. The issue was given much milage in the Irish News national newspaper, Talk Back radio show and was even raised in the Stormont assembly. The school subsequently failed to meet the government's criteria over the next two years and remains the North's only unfunded Irish Medium Primary School.
However, the school principal, Oisín Mac Eo, and the school committee succeeded in keeping the school open throughout this period despite the lack of funding and submitted a new development proposal in 2009, confident that the criteria for funding, essentially the enrolment of fifteen new pupils, had been achieved. Despite the lack of government support, the little independent gaelscoil succeeded in registering more children for primary one than any of the other existing fully funded Irish medium schools in Derry City.
In 2008/9 the school's nursery entered into a partnership with the government's early years' organisation for disadvantaged parents, Sure Start. The school began producing and providing courses, resources and services previously unavailable for parents raising their children through Irish in the area.
The school's development proposal was finally approved conditionally by the Minister of Education, Caitríona Ruane in September 2009 and funding was released on 5th November 2009 to the relief of staff and families at the school.
The school has a strong, enthusiastic policy on recruitment with staff and parents regularly going door-to-door in the area to speak to new young parents about Irish Medium Education. As a result of this and the partnership with Sure Start, the nursery was completely full last year and the two year old programme (creche) had a waiting list, an unusual occurrence for Irish Medium Schools in the North outside of Belfast.
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
medium school in Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
The school was founded in September 2005 as a result of the desire expressed by parents who had children in the local Irish Language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
medium pre-school (Naíscoil Mhaol Íosa). It was noticed that most of the children who left the pre-school had gone to local English medium schools because the nearest gaelscoil (Irish-medium primary school) was considered to be too far away. Mr. Stephen Kenny
Stephen Kenny
Stephen Kenny may refer to:*Stephen Kenny , Guantanamo detainee David Hicks' original lawyer*Stephen Kenny , Irish football manager...
, Derry City Football Club
Derry City F.C.
Derry City Football Club is a professional football club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. It plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division...
manager, who had a child at the Naíscoil, together with eight first year pupils and their parents, officially opened the new Irish Language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
medium primary school.
The school passed the school inspection and as a result is on the DENI list of Independent Schools. Its funds are raised via collections and public and private contributions. The School's Management Committee forwarded a 'school development plan' to the DENI seeking full recognition and state funding. On the 8th August 2007, the minister for Education, Caitríona Ruane
Caitríona Ruane
Caitríona Ruane MLA is a Sinn Féin politician and a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for South Down....
approved the school for DE funding from September 2007, pending a minimum year one enrolment of 15 year-one pupils in September 2007. This caused a storm of controversy as it transpired she had done so against the advice of her senior civil servants. The issue was given much milage in the Irish News national newspaper, Talk Back radio show and was even raised in the Stormont assembly. The school subsequently failed to meet the government's criteria over the next two years and remains the North's only unfunded Irish Medium Primary School.
However, the school principal, Oisín Mac Eo, and the school committee succeeded in keeping the school open throughout this period despite the lack of funding and submitted a new development proposal in 2009, confident that the criteria for funding, essentially the enrolment of fifteen new pupils, had been achieved. Despite the lack of government support, the little independent gaelscoil succeeded in registering more children for primary one than any of the other existing fully funded Irish medium schools in Derry City.
In 2008/9 the school's nursery entered into a partnership with the government's early years' organisation for disadvantaged parents, Sure Start. The school began producing and providing courses, resources and services previously unavailable for parents raising their children through Irish in the area.
The school's development proposal was finally approved conditionally by the Minister of Education, Caitríona Ruane in September 2009 and funding was released on 5th November 2009 to the relief of staff and families at the school.
The school has a strong, enthusiastic policy on recruitment with staff and parents regularly going door-to-door in the area to speak to new young parents about Irish Medium Education. As a result of this and the partnership with Sure Start, the nursery was completely full last year and the two year old programme (creche) had a waiting list, an unusual occurrence for Irish Medium Schools in the North outside of Belfast.
External links
- Real Audio of Mark Patterson radio show on BBC Radio FoyleBBC Radio FoyleBBC Radio Foyle is a BBC Northern Ireland local radio station, serving County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. It is named after the River Foyle which flows through the city where the station is based. The station broadcasts from BBC's Northland Road studios on 93.1 FM and 792 MW in Derry, County...
- School's Blog/site in Irish
- School's Blog/site in English