Creagh National School
Creagh National School (Irish: Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál) is a primary school in Ballinasloe, County Galway, Ireland. Originally founded in 1939, it is a Catholic boys and girls national school located on the outskirts of Ballinasloe in the civil parish of Creagh. As of September 2019, the school had 415 pupils and approximately thirty staff, making it the largest national school (by number of pupils) in the Ballinasloe catchment area.[1][2]
Creagh National School Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál | |
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Location | |
Creagh, Ballinasloe, County Galway | |
Coordinates | 53.3281°N 8.2012°W |
Information | |
Type | Primary school |
Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
Established | 1939 |
Principal | Noel Lohan |
Chaplain | V. Rev. John Garvey |
Number of pupils | 415 (2019) |
Language | English and Irish |
Website | creaghnsonline |
History and development
Creagh National School was opened in 1939 in Creagh outside Ballinasloe, initially with just two teachers and 87 pupils.[3] First opened down the Creagh Road, the school was moved to the current location in 1939.[4]
Later developments include the "two million construction project", which involved the development or extension of six mainstream classrooms, five tutorial rooms, an extension to the school hall and a library. Begun in 2009, the school marked the official opening of the extensions in September 2012.[5] A new astro-turf pitch was opened to coincide with the school's 75th anniversary celebrations in 2014.[3]
As of 2019, Noel Lohan is the acting principal of Creagh National School.[6][7]
Events and fundraising
A St Brigid's Day Crosses fundraiser is held every year on 1 February.[8] Other fundraising events include Christmas singalong, cake sale, and confirmation fundraisers, with much of the money raised going to causes in Tanzania.[9][10]
With pupils from 27 different cultural backgrounds, the school participates in the Yellow Flag diversity programme,[2] and celebrated two "intercultural days" in 2019.[11]
References
- "National School Numbers Holding - Enrolments in the Catchment Area" (PDF). Ballinasloe Life. October 2019. p. 27. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
Creagh NS remains the school with the largest number of pupils at 415
- "Whole School Evaluation - Management, Leadership and Learning - Scoil Mhuire gan Smál, Creagh, Ballinasloe" (PDF). education.ie. Department of Education and Skills. 7 November 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
- "Creagh NS Celebrates 75 Years". Ballinasloe Life. Vol. 4 no. 6. February 2015. p. 45. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
Principal Stephanie Keating spoke of how the school has developed through the years; from a small rural two-teacher school with a modest 87 pupils in 1939 [..] The official opening of the school's new Astro Turf Pitch [.was.] among many significant moments of the [anniversary] day
- Our Local Environment Week: Day 3: A History Of Creagh N.S. With Miss Blade. 9 June 2020. 2:53 minutes in. Retrieved 13 June 2020 – via YouTube.
- "Official Opening and Blessing of Recent Extension to Creagh NS". creaghns.com. Creagh National School. 21 September 2012. Archived from the original on 28 October 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
- "Agreed Report from BOM Meeting January 2019". creaghns.com. Creagh National School. 21 January 2019. Archived from the original on 28 October 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
- "S N Muire Gan Smal - Creagh National School". education.ie. Department of Education and Skills. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
- "St. Brigid's Crosses 2017". creaghns.com. Creagh National School. 15 February 2017. Archived from the original on 29 October 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
- "Coffee and Cake Sale in aid of 6th Class Tanzanian Project - Creagh NS". ballinasloe.ie. 7 March 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
- "Confirmation donations help build primary school – in Tanzania". connachttribune.ie. Connacht Tribune. 3 September 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
- "Creagh National School's Intercultural Days 2019". creaghns.com. Creagh National School. 5 May 2019. Archived from the original on 28 October 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2019.