Renewed hope for Mayo Gaelcholáiste as Dara Calleary backs expansion of Irish education
Campaign says students deserve opportunity to continue learning through Irish after primary school
The campaign to establish Gaelcholáiste Mhaigh Eo has welcomed comments from Minister Dara Calleary supporting the expansion of Irish-medium education and recognising the need for students to have a clear pathway to continue their education through Irish after primary school.
The campaign’s response follows recent reports that no new Irish-medium schools are currently planned before 2032.
Minister Calleary recently stated that expanding education through Irish would be a key priority and voiced concern at the lack of plans for additional Gaelcholáistí.
Campaign representatives said the Minister’s intervention reflects the reality facing many Mayo families, where children attending Irish-medium primary schools currently have no option to continue their education through Irish at second level within the county.
A spokesperson for the campaign said they were encouraged by Minister Calleary’s public support.
“We are grateful to Minister Dara Calleary for publicly recognising the need for greater provision of Irish-medium education and for highlighting the importance of a complete educational pathway for young Irish speakers,” the spokesperson said.
“Since 2020, the Gaelcholáiste Mhaigh Eo campaign has worked constructively towards establishing an immersive Irish-language secondary school in Castlebar. Minister Calleary’s comments demonstrate an understanding of the challenges faced by students who complete their primary education through Irish only to find that no second-level option exists locally.”
The campaign noted that Mayo remains one of 13 counties in Ireland without a Gaelcholáiste despite having a strong network of Gaelscoileanna and growing demand for Irish-medium education.
They pointed to national figures showing that approximately 60 percent of pupils attending Gaelscoileanna are unable to continue their education through Irish at second level, while only four new Irish-medium post-primary schools have been established nationwide since 2014.
According to the group, these figures underline the need for action.
“Every child who begins their education through Irish should have the opportunity to continue that journey. The absence of a Gaelcholáiste in Mayo means many students lose the chance to maintain and develop their fluency during their teenage years,” the spokesperson said.
The campaign also highlighted Census 2022 figures showing that almost 1.9 million people reported an ability to speak Irish, demonstrating continued interest in the language and demand for Irish-medium education.
Castlebar remains the preferred location for the proposed county-wide Gaelcholáiste, with campaigners citing its central location and accessibility for families across Mayo.
The campaign said it looks forward to working with Minister Calleary, local representatives and the Department of Education to advance the project and ensure Mayo students have the same educational opportunities available in other parts of the country.
“This is not simply about education. It is about fairness, cultural heritage, language rights and ensuring that students in Mayo are not disadvantaged because of where they live,” the spokesperson added.