Press Releases
TIMOLIN CELEBRATES SCHOOL EXTENSION
The Minister for Education and Science, Mr Noel Dempsey TD, today officially opened a new class-room and extension to Timolin Church of Ireland National School in County Kildare. He also planted a tree in the school garden to mark the occasion.
The school has 30 pupils at present with two teachers: the principal Mrs Lily Carpenter and classroom teacher, Ms Carolyn Good. They are assisted by ancillary teaching staff.
The new development consists of a large senior class-room with its own toilets, 'wet area' and cloak room area incorporated and a long corridor connecting to the junior class-room. Improvements have also been made to the school office and the library and computer room. A new playing field has been created on what was formerly waste ground and a large 'wild area' bordering on the River Bothogue will be used for nature study and environmental work.
The opening ceremony included a short prayer service led by the children. The Venerable Edgar Swann, Archdeacon of Glendalough, unveiled the commemorative plaque and blessed the new building.
Speaking at a reception attended by the children, parents, educationists, church and community representatives, Canon Ginnie Kennerley, chairman of the Board of Management and Rector of the Parish of Narraghmore and Timolin with Castledermot and Kinneagh, expressed her thanks to many people who had helped to make the new extension possible, including the Church of Ireland Board of Education and its chairman Canon John McCullough.
Canon Kennerley added : "A parish school is in many ways the heart of the parish. Here parents from a wide area get to know each other and the children of the next generation make friends for life.
"The ethos of our school is clearly Church of Ireland. It is an ethos which respects the traditions of other churches. We hope with this development we shall be able to share more activities with our neighbouring national schools in Moone and Crookstown."
The cost of the new development was 207,840 Euro and work was completed by Browne Brothers of Narraghmore under the direction of architect Derek O'Leary of Dalton and O'Donnell (Kilkenny and Naas).
The Department of Education and Science met 90% of the cost with the balance raised through local fund-raising efforts over four years.
Timolin National School first opened as a national school in 1915. However there is a stone with the inscription 'School 1822' placed at the rear entrance of the school.
Further information from:
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