Two schools under the auspices of Cork Education and Training Board are to receive an investment of approximately €33 million to build, extend and refurbish these schools.
Coachford College serves the second level education needs of the greater Coachford area. The 10,600m2 project will provide a new school building for the college which will cater for a long-term enrolment of 1,000 pupils. The state-of-the-art new build will offer the existing and future incoming students 37 general classrooms, specialist rooms, science laboratories, engineering and constructions rooms, multi-media laboratories as well as a Special Education Needs Suite, and a PE hall.
30 kilometres further west, Coláiste Ghobnatan, a Gaelcholáiste in Baile Mhúirne, will see the provision of an extension to the existing school, which will cater for a long-term enrolment of 300 pupils. The 2,259m2 extension will be integrated with the original building, which will see the re-designation of existing rooms to make way for 12 general classrooms, Design and Tech Graphic room, a music room and a home economics room, to name just some. The delivery of this project will be an integrated and cohesive, contemporary education facility.
“These are very significant developments for the communities of Baile Mhúirne and Coachford, which will yield enormous return for our students and their future education. I want to the thank the Department of Education and Skills for their support in these large capital investment projects”, said Director of Organisation Support and Development, Ms. Sheila Quill. She added, “these promising developments serve as incredible good news stories for the Coachford and Baile Mhúirne regions and their hinterlands and Cork ETB is delighted to be able to deliver these projects”.
The Design Team for the Coachford College project is headed by McCarthy O’Hora Architects, working closely with Kane Crowe Kavanagh Ltd, Malone O’Regan Consulting Engineers, Semple McKillop Ltd and Reddy Architecture & Urbanism. Áine-Máire Ní Fhaoláin, Principal of Coachford College said the countdown has begun to the completion of the new school building. Ms. Ní Fhaoláin told us “We are thrilled that Coachford College has received the green light for this new state-of the-art facility. This is an extremely positive expansion in servicing the educational needs of the broader Coachford community. Parents and guardians can be reassured of the future and have confidence that their children will enjoy facilities matching the quality and commitment of teachers and support staff in Coachford College”.
Coláiste Ghobnatan’s project will be lead by Architect and Design Team Lead, Butler Moffat Architects, who will deliver this project for Cork ETB in partnership with Kane Crowe Kavanagh, Downes Associates, Hayes Higgins Partnership and CMSE. Toirdealbhach Ó Lionáird, Príomhoide, Coláiste Ghobnatan said “Tá pobal an choláiste thar a bheith sásta go bhfuil síneadh leis an scoil ar na mbioráin ag an bpointe seo. Níl aon amhras ach go mbeidh an seacht seomra sa bhreis, chomh maith le halla spóirt ina bhuntáiste ollmhór do na daltaí, na múinteoirí agus don phobal Gaeltachta seo. Tabharfaidh sé aitheantas don obair atá infheistithe sna daoine óga agus na héachtaí atá bainte amach acu thar na blianta. Tógfar foirgneamh oiriúnach, nua-aimseartha agus cuirimid fáilte croíúil roimh an dea-nuacht seo. Ar aghaidh anois leis an togra!”
The members of the Design Teams have held their first meetings and plans for the above projects are well underway.