Pictured at the official opening of Coosan NS yesterday (Thursday) were: Fr Declan Shannon, former chairperson of the board of managment; Tom Flahive, former principal; Bishop Paul Connell; principal Stephen Cunningham; and board of management chairperson Fr Patrick Murphy.

Coosan NS holds official opening of new school building

Adrian Cusack

Published: Fri 15 Dec 2023, 2:18 PM

The new school building at Coosan National School in Athlone was officially opened by the Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois, Paul Connell, yesterday (Thursday) afternoon.

The ceremony was described by former Coosan NS principal Tom Flahive as "the final piece of the jigsaw" in the development of the new school

Pupils, staff, board of management representatives past and present, along with poilticians and other guests, attended the opening.

After years of campaigning, and a number of false dawns, the €7 million state-of-the-art school began construction in 2017. It has been in use since January 14, 2019.

* For a full report and pictures from the Coosan NS official opening, see next week's Westmeath Independent