The sod was turned this week at the controversial Davitt College sports hall which has been 27 years in the waiting.
However the occasion has been marred by the non attendance of a past teacher of the school, Cllr Henry Kenny, who turned down an invitation to attend fearing the “legitimacy” of the event.
In his speech to a packed assembly hall, Minister for Education and Science Batt O’Keeffe gave assurances that the funding had been ring fenced for this long-awaited project, but Fine Gael continues to pour cold water on the issue. Cllr Kenny said he would be delighted to see the sports hall going ahead and did not wish to detract from the occasion, but he said until a contract was signed and the project physically starts, he would continue to “maintain my concerns”. Despite his absence and Fine Gael’s concerns the mood at Davitt College on Wednesday was jubilant.
Speaking to the Mayo Advertiser after the event school principal Ioseph McGowan said he remained confident that the Minister would stay true to his word and deliver on the funding. He said the contract was out to tender, 12 companies had been shortlisted, and when all tenders were returned the cheapest would be awarded the contract. Mr McGowan said the difference this time was that the project was listed in the national papers as going ahead. That never happened before and a Minister never turned a sod before. He also said he was confident that with Beverley Flynn in the driving seat he was happy the project would come to fruition.
The new sports hall for Mayo VEC’s flagship school will be named after former principal and legendary Mayo footballer Joe Langan who was described as “a gentleman and a sportsman” by Mayo VEC CEO Katie Sweeney. As well as the sod turning for the sports hall the Minister also launched the VEC’s Active Living and Learning initiative. This initiative is the first of its kind in the country and will adopt a partnership approach.
Now that funding for the sports hall has been secured school principal Ioseph McGowan put the Minister on notice for the next stage of the school’s development which envisages enrolment rising from 750 in 2009 to 900 by 2011. To cope with the proposed increase in student numbers the school proposes to develop two campuses, one for junior cycle students and one for senior cycle. “Any good investment in education will pay for itself in the long run,” he told the Minister.
Mr McGowan also thanked Beverley Flynn for her role in securing the funding for Davitt College.
Mayo VEC chairman Pat Kilbane added: “In the shortest possible time I look forward to signing the contract on this project and delivering a concrete building.”
Minister O’Keeffe said the naming of the hall after Joe Langan was a very special event as it is a name that inspires on the field of play and in the education sector.
The late Mr Langan was represented at the sod turning event by members of his family.
