By Michelle Crean

An ambitious multi-million Euro project is set to totally transform one local school - as Minister for Education, Norma Foley, this morning (Monday) announced an extensive refurbishment plan for St Brendan’s College.

Going forward the extensive building project will ultimately replace the existing school structure with a state-of-the-art campus and facilities for the 750 students and staff, plus there’ll be three SEN base classes along with one class to specifically cater for children with multiple disabilities.

This extensive refurbishment will transform St Brendan’s by providing 26 general classrooms, five science labs, two multimedia rooms, a textiles room, a music room, an arts and craft room, a home economics room, a construction studies room, engineering room, and a technology room.

The building project will also include staff rooms, an office, a GP room and data communication centre as well as a PE Hall and fitness suite.

The Department recently approved interim accommodation for the school to provide three classes for Special Education Needs purposes for 2021/22 school year under the Department’s Modular Framework.

“This ambitious multi-million Euro building project is an endorsement of the staff of St Brendan’s College for their tireless commitment and endeavour to educating the young people of Killarney and surrounding areas,” Minister Foley said.

“This significant project will provide state-of-the-art facilities and special education provision thus ensuring that this educational institution that is ‘The Sem’ will continue to provide a first class education experience for many years to come.”

VISION

School principal Sean Coffey thanked Minister Foley for her forward-looking vision for the provision of education at second level in Killarney.

“St Brendan’s has a proud and lengthy education tradition, but it was now timely to reimagine this school site to look forward to the next 160 years. This is an investment in the future of our whole community,” he said.

“Situated at the heart of the town, adjacent to the National Park, reinvigorating these old buildings will serve to hugely benefit our students, our staff and our community, all of whom are deserving of the state-of-the-art facilities. We can now look forward to creating a modern learning environment couched in these historic buildings.”

Mr Coffey added that this project was only made possible by the vision and support provided to the school by Bishop Ray Browne and the dedicated volunteer Board of Management at the school.

“Our Patron enables us to think creatively about the future of all aspects of St Brendan’s while our Board enacts that vision through its hard work.”

Also welcoming the announcement, Ms Lorna Larkin, Chairperson of the Board of Management thanked the many staff who have worked so diligently and creatively at St Brendan’s to provide a holistic education for all of the students.

She said that the Board were looking forward to engaging a Design Team who would rework the existing fabric of the school into an exciting place of learning for the 21st century.

The official announcement was also attended by Bishop Ray Browne, Patron of St Brendan’s as well as Ms Hannah Devlin Chairperson of the Parents’ Council at the school.