Gaelcholáiste an Chláir marked its 30th anniversary recently, as staff, students and supporters gathered to celebrate.
The school was founded in 1993, in response to the demand for secondary education through Irish in County Clare.
The primary school, Gaelscoil Mhichíl Cíosóg, was celebrating its tenth anniversary that year, and it became clear that there was no option for the children graduating from the Gaelscoil to continue their education through the medium of Irish in County Clare.
The Gaelcholáiste was established as a unit within Ennis Community College, under the patronage of what was then County Clare Vocational Education Committee, and later, Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board.
9 students entered first year in 1993. There are more than 130 students across all years, including Transition Year.
Gaelcholáiste an Chláir and Ennis Community College share some facilities and staff, however each school operates within its own section of the new college campus on Harmony Row in Ennis.
Within the Gaelcholáiste section, an Irish-speaking environment is maintained. The school operates as a Gaeltacht, in which Irish is the language of work and play. For almost all the children, Irish is not their home language, so they develop a natural bilingualism which, according to the Principal, Brian O’Donoghue, confers a huge advantage. Bilingual children have been shown to perform better across all subjects, he says.
The school is intended to cater to the demand for secondary education through Irish from all over the county. Many of its students attended the Gaelscoileanna in Ennis, Shannon, Kilrush and Moy but, for some, Gaelcholáiste an Chláir is their first experience of learning through Irish.
So is switching from English in Primary to Irish at Second Level a problem? Not at all, says Múnteoir i bhFeidhil (Teacher in Charge) Áine Uí Chonsaidín.
“In the first year, much of the work is done bilingually until the student is fluent in Irish. Both staff and students are very dedicated to the Irish language ethos of the school, and it doesn’t take long for children to get up to speed.”
That includes children whose background stems from other cultures besides Ireland. Indeed, many students are trilingual, speaking Irish at school, English elsewhere, and a third language at home. The school is multicultural and non-denominational.
Former students and staff and members of the extended community gathered to remember and to celebrate the history. Entertainment, music and debate were provided by the current students, and the college’s links with the local Irish language community were celebrated.
Tá áiseanna nua den scoth ag an nGaelcholáiste anois, sa bhfoirgneamh nua a osclaíodh anuraidh. Tá saotharlanna nua ann, agus gach áis teicneolaíochta sna seomraí go léir, mar aon le halla mór spóirt. Tá foireann an Ghaelcholáiste lán de dhóchas agus misneach do thodhchaí na scoile sna blianta atá romhainn.
