Construction Begins on €50m Gaelscoil and Gaelcholáiste Campus in Kilbride

After years spent in temporary classrooms and prefabs, construction has finally commenced on the new buildings for Gaelscoil an Inbhir Mhóir and Gaelcholáiste na Mara at Kilbride.

The project will see the development of a new shared campus, comprising two state-of-the-art school buildings on the north side of Arklow, at an estimated cost of €50 million. The construction of this new campus marks not only a significant new chapter for both schools, but also for the Irish language in the town and surrounding areas.

Gaelscoil an Inbhir Mhóir was founded in 1998 and has been located on Emoclew Road since its establishment. The school has grown significantly over the past two decades under principals Paudie Flavin and Cian Ó Cuanacháin, with numerous prefabs erected on the grounds to accommodate the increasing number of pupils within the school community.

Despite being based on Emoclew Road for over twenty-five years, the school never had a sports hall, leaving school assemblies and physical education classes entirely weather-dependent.

Principal of Gaelscoil an Inbhir Mhóir, Cian Ó Cuanacháin, welcomed the news that construction has begun at Kilbride, saying the school community is counting down the days until they can move into their new home.

Ó Cuanacháin was quick to highlight some of the benefits for both parents and pupils once the project is completed, particularly the advantages of sharing a campus with Gaelcholáiste na Mara.

“Sharing the campus with the Gaelcholáiste will also be a gamechanger, offering parents a single location where their children can receive the best of education in an integrated campus from ages 4 to 18,” he said.

While some parents had expressed concerns about the move to Arklow’s north side due to existing traffic congestion at Ferrybank, Mr Ó Cuanacháin acknowledged the need for additional bus services from the south side of the town to Kilbride to accommodate many pupils living south of the River Avoca.

He noted that “any pupil living more than 3.1km from their school is entitled to school transport”.

Although responsibility for school transport lies with the Department of Education and Bus Éireann, Ó Cuanacháin stated that the requirement for additional buses will be raised with the Department in the coming months.

Once completed, the new Gaelscoil building will accommodate over 400 pupils across sixteen classrooms, along with two AEN units and, for the first time in the school’s twenty-nine-year history, a sports hall.

As with any large construction project, a definitive completion date will become clearer with time. However, Mr Ó Cuanacháin said he is hopeful the school community will move into Kilbride by September 2027, based on an anticipated eighteen-month construction timeline.

Gaelcholáiste na Mara was founded in 2007 to allow pupils from both Gaelscoil an Inbhir Mhóir and Gaelscoil Cill Mhantáín in Wicklow Town to continue their Irish-language education at second level. Under principals Maria Fitzmaurice, Tony Ó Muruchú and newly appointed principal Déaglán Ó Laoire, the school has made a strong impression in debating competitions and on the sporting field at both local and national level.

A temporary school building was constructed in Pearse’s Park in 2012; however, as student numbers increased, the school quickly reached capacity. Its canteen was converted into a temporary classroom, while additional prefabs and an extension were added to meet demand.

Staff and students at the Vale Road campus suffered a further setback in 2024 when part of the school’s roof was blown off during Storm Darragh. Like Gaelscoil an Inbhir Mhóir, the Gaelcholáiste also lacked a sports hall, which impacted assemblies and PE classes. The new school building at Kilbride will represent a significant upgrade in facilities for both students and staff.

Reacting on social media, Wicklow–Wexford TD and Gaeilgeoir Fionntán Ó Suilleabháin of Sinn Féin described the development as “a great day for the Irish-language community and those who are passionate about an Ghaeilge”.

In a similar online video, fellow Wicklow–Wexford TD Brian Brennan of Fine Gael also expressed his delight at the commencement of construction. Deputy Brennan added that the project developers hope to employ as many local people as possible throughout the build.

“I spoke to the contractors involved and their key onus is to employ as many local people as possible over the next two years,” he said.