The new school crest for Coláiste Chiaráin, the planned amalgamated school for West Athlone & South Roscommon has launched.
All primary schools in the catchment area of St Aloysius College and St Joseph’s, Summerhill participated in the competition to design the Crest and the first prize winners were the 5th & 6th class pupils of Brideswell National School.
Local Priests Fr John Cullen PP and Canon Liam Devine announced the winners on a surprise visit to the school and Fr Hugh Lee (Board of Management Chairperson), Carmel Kelly (Principal), teachers and pupils were presented with a Samsung Tablet by Mr Gerry Kinneavy and Mr Liam Nally – the principals of St Aloysius College and St Joseph’s, Summerhill.
The pupils were praise for their creativity and attention to detail and their design is now being prepared to be added to the new school uniforms for 1st year students of both secondary schools from 1st September this year.
The school will amalgamate into a new school, called Coláiste Chiaráin, from 1st September 2017. The combined teaching staffs, have been meeting regularly to plan for the new school, also welcomed the new crest at their year-end meeting.
The Crest for Coláiste Chiaráin combines the two pillars on which the school is founded : a Catholic ethos and excellence in teaching and learning. The religious background of the school is seen in the Elphin diocesan crest on the left, and the academic focus of the school is seen in the open book and quill. These are united in the round tower associated with the school’s patron St Ciaráin, who was born in Fuerty and founded a monastery in Clonmacnoise. The Motto chosen for the school, in keeping with the school name, is “as Gaeilge” and means ‘Strength in coming together’.
The need for the new school, which will be on the 30 acre Summerhill site is essentially two-fold – the need for a top-class, modern, educational facility in West Athlone / South Roscommon, and the fact that due to increasing enrolments at Primary School level, 600 new post-primary school places will be needed in the Athlone area over the next 5/8 years. It is to cater for this demand that the project is moving ahead at a rapid pace. The Project Committee has also applied for funding for a unit to cater for children on the Autistic Spectrum (ASD), to link with the ASD unit in the adjoining St Joseph’s Primary school.