A MULTI million school building project has been announced for St Brendan’s College in Killarney.
Minister for Education and Kerry TD, Norma Foley, has unveiled details of the major project which will provide state-of-the-art facilities for 750 pupils plus three special educational needs classes along with one class to specifically cater for children with multiple disabilities.
The extensive refurbishment will transform St Brendan’s College by providing 26 general classrooms, five science labs, two multimedia rooms, a textiles room and new classrooms for music, arts and crafts, home economics, construction studies, engineering and technology.
The building project will also include staff rooms, an office, a GP room and data communication centre as well as a new PE hall and fitness suite.
Three special education classrooms will also be built as part of the school refurbishment and a multiple disabilities classroom will also be provided for within the plans.
On completion, the entire building project will replace the existing school structure with a state-of-the-art campus and facilities.
Minister Foley said: “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”.
School principal Sean Coffey said while St Brendan’s College has a proud and lengthy education tradition, it was now timely to re-imagine this school site to look forward to the next 160 years.
“This is an investment in the future of our whole community,” he said.
Mr Coffey said reinvigorating the old buildings hugely benefit students, staff and the community.
“We can now look forward to creating a modern learning environment couched in these historic buildings,” he said.
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,” he said.
Chairperson of the Board of Management, Lorna Larkin, thanked staff who have worked so diligently and creatively to provide a holistic education for all students.
She said that the board is 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 and Hannah Devlin Chairperson of the Parents’ Council.
