Glencorrib NS wins Best Kept School in Mayo

BEST IN CLASS Pictured are representatives from Glencorrib NS receiving their prize for Best Kept School in Mayo from Mayo County Council. Front, from left: Orna Friel (Principal), Cllr Al McDonnell, Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, Tom Gilligan, Mayo County Council. Back, from left: Sharon Cameron (Mayo County Council), Michaela Toher, Millie Toher, Eleanor Whelan, David Lydon, Stephen Kitterick, Matthew Leonard (Glencorrib NS) and Karen Ruane and Paula Geraghty (Mayo County Council). Pic: Elizabeth Toher

Edwin McGreal

Ahead of recent All-Ireland finals, the village of Glencorrib became synonymous with the spectacular carvings etched into the hills on Petty’s land outside the village, wishing the Mayo team well.
It seems that looking your best and making a good first impression is something the whole village prides itself on, as evidenced recently by the local national school winning the Best Kept School in Mayo for the second time.
The coveted title was secured thanks to a very impressive makeover of the school’s grounds. The standard the school set in winning the award for the first time in 2013 was clearly one they felt they needed to surpass this time around and they did that in style.
“We are incredibly proud to win it again,” school principal Orna Friel told The Mayo News.
The school’s playground was given a new lease of life and the school created a new sensory garden.
“We wanted to create a space where children could freely explore and discover the wonder of nature by using their senses,” explained Ms Friel. “With the help of a landscape gardener, a design was brought to life and suitable shrubs and trees were planted. A local carpenter then fashioned a curved bench for under the gazebo. We are delighted with the results and we will be adding bird feeders, wind chimes and sun-catchers over the coming weeks to further enhance this space and to entice wildlife to our new garden,” she added.

Mission Apollo
After the sensory garden was finished, work turned to the playground. A basketball net was added, the yard markings were re-sprayed and a new wooden bench was installed.
The next step then was a 3D art fitting and mural for the school shelter and sheds.
Artist Lukasz Krzywon from the Little Rainbow Academy came on board and he took his inspiration from a painting competition ran within the school.
So local landmarks such as Ballycurrin lighthouse, Lough Corrib and the local church are incorporated into 3D boards in the schoolyard.
An interactive mural, entitled ‘Mission Apollo Glencorrib’, was the next step and Lukasz cut discs for the children which they painted with images that represented their hobbies and likes.
“Lukasz spoke to the children about the message that was sent into space on golden plates on one of the Apollo project missions, and explained that this would be our message from Glencorrib NS,” said Orna Friel.
The mural was made interactive with the addition of a binary code game, to create the launch code for the rocket, and a tree (painted by the children) with five hooks attached for which the children came up with their own game.
“Creating the mural was an incredibly enjoyable experience for the children and our Apollo mission, we think you will agree, has successfully been accomplished!,” added Ms Friel.
Projects like the above are, Orna Friel says, vital at a time when there are cuts to small schools and fears for the future of some schools.
“The future for our wonderful little school is bright,” she says. There are four teachers and a special needs assistant in Glencorrib and other initiatives show the community’s pulse in Glencorrib is beating strongly.
The playschool is re-opening in September, a Breakfast and after School Club is being established in the curate’s house and parents have set up a Glencorrib Parent and Child Playgroup which meets on the first and last Friday of every month in the community hall.
“This playgroup has been a real success in getting the new/young families in the area involved with the school and as a result are future enrolment figures are looking good,” said Orna Friel.