Enrolment at South Roscommon school to hit 1,000 in two years
Enrolment numbers at Coláiste Chiaráin in Summerhill are predicted to hit close to 1,000 within two years.
Speaking at last Friday's “belated celebration” of their official opening, principal Brendan Waldron said he expects enrolment at the South Roscommon co-educational secondary school to hit 850 next year, and close to 1,000 in 2025.
That's a huge milestone given that school only came into being in 2017, following the amalgamation of St Aloysius and St Joseph's College, and the Summerhill site was chosen for a new school building officially opened by Bishop of Elphin Kevin Doran on Friday.
“Standing here today it is amazing to think that this time five years ago in 2018 planning wasn't even submitted to Roscommon County Council, so projects of this scale are rarely completed from approval to construction schedule within a decade, not alone five years. Yet here we are completing our third year in the building and probably the slowest thing to happen was the official opening,” Mr Waldron joked to the large attendance gathered in the school's pristine PE hall.
He praised the Department of Education for having the foresight and vision to build a 1,000 student school, when there was only an initial intake of some 500.
"And given next year we will have 850 students in the school and the following year we'll be approaching 1,000, this decision has proven to be a very wise one,” the principal observed.
While looking back, the school is also looking forward and realising the potential of every student it at the heart of what they do, Mr Waldron continued, saying that they look forward to the fit-out of their new prayer centre shortly, and the expansion of their subject provision to include computer science and applied maths as subjects for next year's Leaving Cert.
A masterplan is also being developed to maximise the use of the grounds at the school to provide a range of sports and environmental initiatives.
“One of the major projects which will be commencing is a full all weather pitch and I'm delighted that agreement has almost been reached between Clann naGael, the diocese and ourselves to develop a much needed facility for the school in the very near future.”