Caption for picture above: Past pupils Aoibhe Twomey, World champion Irish dancer and Chantelle Robinson, All-Ireland Boxing Champion cutting the ribbon to officially open the Le Chéile outdoor learning are. Assisting them are pupils Jodie Byrne (left) and Ella Coady (right). Picture Anne Marie Magorrian
Carrick-on-Suir Presentation Primary School’s new outdoor learning area was officially opened in grand style and in glorious sunshine last Friday morning at a ceremony attended by the school’s staff, more than 300 students, their families and guests.
The new educational facility was named Le Chéile ( Together) at the celebration that was the epitome of togetherness involving the whole school community.
The outdoor classroom is covered with a roof and opens onto a amphitheatre style seating area of limestone benches ascending up a slope. It’s bordered by a gorgeous sensory garden of flowers and shrubs.
It was first proposed before Covid-19 but the pandemic gave the project an impetus as moving activities outdoors was encouraged in many walks of life to help prevent the spread of infection.
The school’s students were seated in the new outdoor classroom and amphitheatre seating for the official opening. It’s big enough to accommodate the entire school.
The ceremony began with a parade of flags of the 26 nationalities in the school ranging from Albania to Zimbabwe.
A student representing each country held a picture of its national flag and said hello in that country’s language. The entire school then sang Hello To All The Children.
In his address, Principal Pat Robinson paid tribute to support they received from the school’s Board of Management and Parents Association for the project. He thanked all the people and companies involved in doing “fantastic” work to bring it to fruition from its design and planning to fundraising and construction. Many of those involved in the various stages of the project were present at the event.
He paid tribute to the fundraising efforts of the whole school community, local companies and organisations. There were fundraising events like a clothing collection and Friday fundraisers at the school.
The Parents Association fundraised for the project and donations were received from students’ families, local companies and individuals. Carrick Lions Club helped fund the sensory garden
“This was all done for the 308 children sitting in front of me,” said Mr Robinson. “You have now given these children a fun, natural and healthy environment to come out here and play every day.”
As a thank you to the local community for its support, Mr Robinson said the school was opening up the outdoor educational area to the Clancy Brothers Music & Arts Festival for the hosting of its Youth Busking Competition and Music Generation Try an Instrument event on Saturday.
In tribute to the Clancy Festival, the school’s students sang the well known Clancy Brothers ballad Go Lassie Go.
Mr Robinson, meanwhile, welcomed to the ceremony the family of former staff member Catherine O’Shea who passed away in 2021. A plaque has been erected and shrub planted in her memory in the outdoor educational area’s garden.
The school competition to name the outdoor education area attracted entries from over 150 families. Prizes were presented at the official opening to the joint winners of the competition students Billy Mackey and Tori Ryan, who both separately proposed Le Chéile.
The two students unveiled a commemorative plaque at the ceremony to mark the official opening and naming of the outdoor education area.
“It’s such a fitting name because the idea for the area is that we could all be together here,” said the principal, who recalled it was the first place the whole school gathered together last year after lifting of Covid pandemic restrictions.
A runner-up prize was presented to student Tom Sweeney, who proposed the area be called Páirc na Suíochán (Field of Peace) in reference to the fact the school is built on the Red Field where Oliver Cromwell waged a battle.
The names of two students – Ella Coady of 4th class and Jodie Byrne of 3rd class – were picked from a drum to perform the ribbon cutting ceremony with past pupils World Champion Irish dancer Aoibhe Twomey and All-Ireland Under 22 Women’s boxing champion Chantelle Robinson, who the previous weekend won a bronze medal for Ireland at a tournament in the Netherlands.
Fr Jimmy Browne then blessed the new facility, which he described as an “absolutely amazing achievement” and congratulated all involved in its development.
Aoibhe Twomey danced and the school’s Peace Proms Choir sang The Monkees 1960s hit, I’m a Believer, before the final part of the ceremony – the raising of the school’s 8th Green Flag by two Presentation sisters, the school’s retired principal Sr
Veronica and Sr Antoinette, who represented the school’s patron Bishop of Waterford & Lismore Most Rev. Alphonsus Cullinan at the ceremony.
“This whole project has brought the whole school community Le Chéile (together) and we look forward to being Le Chéile for many years,” Mr Robinson concluded.
Picture above: The Presentation Primary School choir performed at the official opening ceremony. The choir is pictured in the outdoor classroom.
Check out more photos from the Presentation Primary School’s official opening ceremony for its Le Chéile outdoor education area in this week’s edition of The Nationalist now in local shops.