Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh TD visits new Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh campus

Senator Maria Byrne Donncha Ó Treasaigh, Principal, Joe McHugh TD, Minister for Education and Skills; and George O’Callaghan,  pictured as the Minister visited Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh on Friday, 22 February to view the site of the school’s new campus on Clare Street in Limerick.
Picture: Brian Arthur.

Minister for Education and Skills, Joe McHugh TD visits new Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh campus

The Minister for Education and Skills, Joe McHugh TD, visited Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh on Friday, February 22 to view the site of the school’s new campus on Clare Street in Limerick. The Minister was welcomed by Senator Maria Byrne, chair of the school’s Board of Management, George O’Callaghan, Chief Executive of the school’s patron Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, and Donncha Ó Treasaigh, Principal of Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh.

Demolition works to prepare for construction were completed in recent weeks on the former Kerry Group site on Clare Street. An application for planning permission to construct the new 750-student campus is close to being completed.

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Speaking during the Minister’s visit, Senator Maria Byrne said: “The Board of Management is extremely proud of the exemplary reputation that Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh students and staff have for contributing to an excellent learning environment, which is known all over the country as a highly innovative and creative school.”

The Minister for Education and skills was welcomed to Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh.
Picture: Brian Arthur

Welcoming the Minister to the site of the new school campus, George O’Callaghan said: “Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board looks forward to the next phase of the development of the site here in Clare Street. The new school building will provide state-of-the-art facilities for the students and staff of Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh. The modern architectural design of the new school will provide a fitting backdrop to the excellent educational reputation that the Gaelcholáiste has earned and the new building will further enhance the already high standards of excellence for which the school is renowned.”`

Donncha Ó Treasaigh, Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh’s Principal, outlined the history of the school to the Minister and how it has grown rapidly to become the largest all-Irish post-primary school in Ireland. He said: “Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh is renowned for its very successful and advanced integration of technology into all subjects and classes, having been the first school in Ireland to be recognised by technology giant Apple as an Apple Distinguished School. The school has also been to the fore in being selected by the Department of Education and Skills as a pilot school for a number of newly-launched Leaving Certificate subjects, including Politics and Society and Physical Education.”

Students from Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh play for local GAA teams in hurling, football and camogie, and several students are members of Irish sporting squads in soccer and basketball. A considerable number of students are also involved in the European Youth Parliament and have spoken in the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Established on July 1, 2013, Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board is the state education and training authority for the Limerick and Clare region in Ireland. It is one of 16 statutory regional education authorities established by the Education and Training Boards Act 2013. The authority delivers educational services to over 34,000 students and learners annually. It also employs 2,500 staff across the region. Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh is one of 18 post-primary schools under the authority’s patronage.

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