Big day in Knockrooskey

OFFICIAL DECLARATION  Archbishop Michael Neary, who performed the official ribbon-cutting ceremony after a special Mass to celebrate the opening of the new extension at Knockrooskey NS, is pictured with Aoife Mannion, Chairperson, Board of Management, and Ciarán Geraghty, Principal.  Pic: Michael McLaughlin

Big day in Knockrooskey

Neill O’Neill

Many children have played in the yard at Knockrooskey National School over the years and last Friday pupils past and present gathered there once again to join in the celebrations for the opening of the new extension.
They were joined by politicians, clergy, staff and members of the local community for the open air Mass which was celebrated by Archbishop of Tuam, Dr Michael Neary, Fr Jackie Conroy, PP of Aughagower, and Fr Francis Mitchell, CC in Westport.
The new building, which was finished over the course of nine weeks during the summer holidays last year, has added four new classrooms and effectively doubled the size of the school, which has six teachers and 108 pupils.
In his homily, Dr Neary described Aughagower as the most historic parish in his diocese. He said that education had flourished in the area since the 1890s and that the opening of the new extension was a celebration of a determination to be educated that has proved strong there. He paid tribute to the staff and wider community who have been involved in the school and who have done so much to make it thrive down through the years. He also blessed all who had been involved in bringing the project to fruition.
The Archbishop had special words of praise for the current pupils at the school and said their wonderful singing and music had enhanced the Mass and celebrations.
Before cutting the ribbon and blessing the inside of the new building, Dr Neary said that he was privileged to open the extension and that it was wonderful to see a place that will enhance the community for generations by developing skills and giving new talents and gifts to children, through which they will make a contribution to the world.
Principal of Knockrooskey National School, Ciarán Geraghty then addressed those gathered and outlined what the day meant to him.
“I spent eight happy years in this school,” he said, “and during that time my dream was to address a crowd in Croke Park at five o’clock on a Sunday evening in September. I never achieved that but today I address a crowd in a place just as special to me.”
Continuing with the football analogy, he said that he was proud to be the captain of a dedicated education team in Knockrooskey. With their Green Flag flapping overhead he said that the children at the school respect each other and themselves and have created a lovely environment for everyone to work in. He then admitted that too many people had been involved in the process to thank individually but offered particular praise to the staff of the school, past and present, the contractors, Board of Management, Parents’ Association, the Gardaí and the County Council.
In the shadow of the school, which now consists of old and new sections combined to form one modern building, he concluded by saying: “I hope every child that passes through this new building will be as happy as we were when we passed through that old one.”