This week marks the start of a new era for Croom as work begins at the greenfield site of the new Coláiste Chiaráin secondary school in County Limerick.
Independent councillor and Croom native Richard O’Donoghue believes the new school is “long overdue”. A past pupil of the school, his brothers Michael and Tommy also taught at his old alma mater.
“It has been a brilliant year for Limerick and the hurling and finally Croom has its school,” Cllr O’Donoghue enthused this week.
“As a past pupil of Coláiste Chiaráin, I am delighted that after much work by many people finally Croom will get the school it needs and deserves. This is down to the dedication and perseverance of students, teachers, parents, councillors, TDs and the people of Croom and surrounding area.”
The main contractor for the new secondary school will be Cork-based construction company MMD and the two-storey building will cover 10,000m² of the 22 acre site. The school will incorporate more than 60 teaching spaces to facilitate delivery of the widest-possible curriculum.
The development of pitches and external play areas along with a full-sized PE Hall will provide for a diverse range of extra-curricular activities. The inclusion of a Special Education Needs Unit will ensure that the educational needs of the entire school community are met.
The value of the building project will be between €15 and €20 million and will greatly enhance the social and economic infrastructure of Croom and the surrounding area.
Describing the process as “a long on-going complex issue” Limerick Fine Gael TD Tom Neville said that the fundamental task was to get all the State agencies working together particularly the planning department of the Council and the Education Training Board.
“I want to congratulate both those bodies for embracing this and making this project a reality given the turbulence experienced previously. I’m looking forward to a state-of-the-art school that Croom so richly deserves and which is long overdue.”
Former Mayor Stephen Keary, also welcomed progress on the new school and said it marked an historic day for Croom and the surrounding areas.
“I would like to wish all concerned with this project the very best of luck with the construction phase and to the future occupiers many happy days in a well-deserved state-of-the-art second level educational facility,”he added.
The sod will be turned on the new school building project at 11am this Friday, August 31.
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