Two girls’ secondary schools in the city are to amalgamate in the next two years.
The Presentation School and Meanscoil Mhuire (the Mercy ) in Newtownsmith are to join forces, it was announced yesterday (Wednesday ) by CEIST, the organisation responsible for the trusteeship of 112 Catholic secondary schools.
The Presentation Secondary School which is located at Presentation Road caters for 270 girls while Meanscoil Mhuire has 308 girls on its books.
The new school will be located on the Newtownsmith campus which has capacity for 600 students. The move is expected to take place in September 2011.
The amalgamation of the schools will provide the “best possible educational opportunities” for girls from the areas served by the two existing schools, according to CEIST.
The larger school will offer the broadest range of programmes and an enhanced level of subject choice, it says. As part of the move to a single campus the Department of Education and Science will refurbish existing facilities at Newtownsmith.
“Both schools have a rich tradition of inclusiveness, of caring for the individual and providing excellence in education,” said Anne Kelleher, the chief executive of CEIST.
“Both have experienced a decline in enrolment over the last decade. CEIST has determined that the needs of young girls from this area will best be served by a single larger school which can offer the full range of programmes, a comprehensive curriculum, greater subject choice and improved access to foundation, ordinary and higher level classes.”
Mary Sweeney, the principal of Meanscoil Mhuire, said her school welcomed this move to bring both schools together on the same campus.
“We have both served the girls of Galway with excellence over the years and we are both justly proud of our achievements. We look forward to building on these achievements together.”
Cliona Ni Neill, the principal of the Presentation Secondary School, said the school would ensure that the best of both traditions is given renewed life in the future.
“Parents can rest assured that the same commitment to honour the dignity of each child and to provide an education that is responsive to their needs will continue in the new setting.
The Presentation Sisters first came to Galway in 1815 and started a primary school in 1820. The two-storey concrete and stone building housed more than 900 girls and, with an extension in 1931, continued in use until it was demolished in 1966 after Scoil Chroi Iosa was built. The primary school created a “secondary-top” in 1947 to cater for girls who wanted to take the Intermediate Certificate Examination. A new secondary school was completed in 1968 and continues in use today.
The Mercy Sisters came to Galway in 1840 and became involved in health, education and relief of the poor. Meanscoil Mhuire in Newtownsmith opened in 1937 and has provided quality education with boarding facilities for generations of young girls from Galway. The existing building opened in 1967. Meanscoil Mhuire, which enjoys a city-centre location and is convenient to all bus routes, overlooks the Corrib river and the Cathedral.
The school is within minutes of city centre amenities including NUI Galway with which both schools have strong links.
A survey of second-level Galway schools indicated that the population of Galway city in 2009 is estimated at about 76,000 to 78,000. The Commission on School Accommodation’s study outlined there are 11 post-primary schools in Galway city catering for more than 6,000 second level students.
