Tullamore College principal hails new school plan

Principal of Tullamore College Edward McEvoy has expressed his delight at the Department of Education?s decision to rebuild Tullamore College.

Partially destroyed by fire seven years ago, Tullamore College has campaigned for the rebuilding of the school for as many years. “I?m looking forward to the day when the new Taoiseach Brian Cowen cuts the ribbon,” said Mr McEvoy.

With exchange students arriving from both Germany and France on foreign exchange it was “embarrassing” to have students taught in portacabins particularly when you see their schools, the Principal added.

“I would like to thank the Parents Council for their hard work, loyalty and passion for the school. They were a source of inspiration,” commented Mr McEvoy. Many members of the Parents Council passionately campaigned even though they knew no new school would be completed before the children had left, he said.

He extended further thanks to the VEC and in particular the Chief Executive Officer Diarmuid O?Neill along with members of the Board of Management and all of the people involved in the campaign to have the school rebuilt.

The new school will accommodate 675 pupils and will have 14 general class rooms, 20 other classrooms to suit specialised teaching environments such as science laboratories as well as two lecture halls. A further 65 car parking spaces are also planned for the school.

It?s the quality of teachers that makes a good school and they deserve a quality building worthy of their hard work, Mr McEvoy said. He said he was equally pleased that the school would remain at its current central location which he said was the right place to be located.

Mr McEvoy said he was hopeful the school would be completed in the near future and he was hopeful that the new Taoiseach would officially open the rebuilt school.