The principal of a Dublin Gaelscoil that has been housed in prefabs for the entirety of its 31 year existence has described the experience as a “nightmare”. 

Gaelscoil na Camóige was founded in 1993 by Clondalkin parents who wanted their children to grow up fluent in Irish.

At the time, it was thought the prefabs would be a temporary solution but they have outlasted generations of both pupils and staff.

“Gaelscoileanna, they’re growing all the time,” Principal Aoife Ní Raghallaigh told Lunchtime Live. 

“The interest in Gaeilge in Clondalkin village is huge; the demand was there and the school was set up.

“As the years went on, the school grew and the prefabs grew and more and more prefabs were given to us with no planning and no talk about a new school building.”

Campaign

Today, current staff and pupils travelled to Leinster House, demanding the Department of Education build them permanent accommodation.

“236 children, from day one in prefabs,” Ms Ní Raghallaigh said.

“So, we’ve a group of 60 children with us today and they’ve been singing and singing.

“We thought maybe, we would be listened to if the children sang as loud as they could, something would happen.”

Pupils of Gaelscoil na Camoíge. 18/04/2024. Picture by: Gaelscoil na Camoíge

In 2009, the school was given new prefabs but both parents and teachers believe it is time they were built or allocated a permanent structure.

“They are much better than what we had originally been given but at the end of the day, they’re prefabricated buildings and they’re completely unsuitable,” Ms Ní Raghallaigh said.

Despite this, Ms Ní Raghallaigh describes the children as “happy” with their school, as they “don’t know any difference”.

It is mainly the teachers and parents who feel upset thinking about what they are missing out on.

Pupils of Gaelscoil na Camoíge. 18/04/2024. Picture by: Gaelscoil na Camoíge

“At the end of the day, you walk into another school building and there’s space and there’s air and there’s light and they can be heated properly during the winter months,” Ms Ní Raghallaigh said.

“It’s a nightmare, to be honest, trying to work in the conditions [we currently are].

“They’re far too small.”

Main image: Gaelscoil na Camóige pupils outside Leinster House. Image: Gaelscoil na Camóige