Doughiska Schools

Bonzodog · 14-09-2009 4:40pm #1

Anyone seen the notices in Doughiska about the two new schools?

There is a planning notice at the entrance to Tur Uisce, for both schools. The Primary school is going to be 2 storeys, 250 Pupils.

The High school/College is going to be 3 Storeys, 450 pupils.

LadyMayBelle · 14-09-2009 4:53pm

Wow. It's badly badly needed. the nearby schools (Briarhill, Mervue, Gael Scoil Dara, Renmore and Castlegar are full to the gills and have waiting lists. It will take years of course to build, but at least something is being done

14-09-2009 5:29pm

That side of town definitely needs a new school or two.

I think some of the city center schools missed an opportunity to do a land swap during the boom.

Zzippy · 14-09-2009 5:34pm

Bonzodog wrote: »

Anyone seen the notices in Doughiska about the two new schools?

There is a planning notice at the entrance to Tur Uisce, for both schools. The Primary school is going to be 2 storeys, 250 Pupils.

The High school/College is going to be 3 Storeys, 450 pupils.

Are they both going on the Tur Uisce side of the road? As in the waste ground between the road and the new park? I thought there might be one on either side of the road, or maybe I heard wrong...

gaeilgegrinds · 14-09-2009 11:23pm

I've seen those plans, both are going to be unreal buildings, as for the teachers, those jobs are already gone and plans well underway! Well needed and thus far an excellent system in place!

Zzippy · 14-09-2009 11:39pm

gaeilgegrinds wrote: »

I've seen those plans, both are going to be unreal buildings, as for the teachers, those jobs are already gone and plans well underway! Well needed and thus far an excellent system in place!

If the schools haven't even been built yet, how are the jobs already gone?

How can you recruit teachers for a school that doesn't yet exist???

Mrs OBumble · 15-09-2009 11:41am

I suspect there are lots of people who've got the jobs in their own minds, and that there will be a feeding-frenzy of competition once they're actually announced/advertised.

That said, it is Doughiska so will have a higher-than-average proportion of children from NESB (non-english-speaking-backgrounds), I wonder if the great facilities will make up for the challenges this will bring.

Bonzodog · 15-09-2009 12:20pm

Both schools are going to be non-denominational, by the way.

I live on Tur Uisce, and there are a number of West African families sending their children to the Oranmore National schools, but its known that they are not happy about the fact that because both schools are Catholic, its being fed to the children, and most of the West Africans, whilst being Christian, are fundie evangelist christians.

My daughter likewise attends Scoil Mhuire in Oranmore, but I want her to stay there, so we are looking at upping roots and moving to Oranmore in the near future.

As for the location of the schools, well, I believe the primary is going on the land between the park and Tur Uisce itself near the back there, and the High School is going on the land between the new motorway junction and Tur Uisce.

I personally do not want my daughter in the new schools, as I believe they could end up being quite rough schools. The breakdown and mixture of pupils will make it so, with all the local traveller children attending there as well.

Zzippy · 15-09-2009 12:48pm

Bonzodog wrote: »

Both schools are going to be non-denominational, by the way.

I live on Tur Uisce, and there are a number of West African families sending their children to the Oranmore National schools, but its known that they are not happy about the fact that because both schools are Catholic, its being fed to the children, and most of the West Africans, whilst being Christian, are fundie evangelist christians.

My daughter likewise attends Scoil Mhuire in Oranmore, but I want her to stay there, so we are looking at upping roots and moving to Oranmore in the near future.

As for the location of the schools, well, I believe the primary is going on the land between the park and Tur Uisce itself near the back there, and the High School is going on the land between the new motorway junction and Tur Uisce.

I personally do not want my daughter in the new schools, as I believe they could end up being quite rough schools. The breakdown and mixture of pupils will make it so, with all the local traveller children attending there as well.

In fairness, the halting site is a pretty small one, the schools are hardly going to be overrun with traveller children. And they have a right to an education locally too. I'd suggest that going to such a school might be healthier for your daughter than growing up with your attitude to travellers.

Mrs OBumble · 15-09-2009 2:02pm

Bonzodog wrote: »

... I believe they could end up being quite rough schools. The breakdown and mixture of pupils will make it so, with all the local traveller children attending there as well.

What breakdown and mix is that?

There are a lot of very middle class people living out that way: no matter what their ethnicity these are folks who care about their kids, and the kids behaviour, and who want them to do well. Some of the African kids are energetic, I agree, but that doesn't make them "rough". Academically, I think there are some quite high aspirations around there too.

Xiney · 15-09-2009 2:22pm

I think going to a school with a mix of cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds is probably one of the best lessons school can teach a child.

Then again, I'm not from a racist family or country.

Greaney · 15-09-2009 5:35pm

Funny, I had been desperatly nervous about where I was sending my son to school. At first I sent him to a school (primary) that was considered "high achieving", well, he left it thinking he was dumb and with lousy self esteem.

When it came to secondary school the snobbery with other parents got even worse. I was up to high doh . I ended up sending him to a school that I thought would be rough because he was so good at art and boys single sex schools don't offer it in Galway (they have the rep for high achievement). An "A" in honours art in the leaving has the same points as Physics or Math too you know!!

He was happy there, was considered clever and well mannered and therefore felt good about himself. Some of the kids were hard cases I grant you, and the teaching faculty was, as a result, considered by many to be collectively one of most united, able, and experienced in the city. He may have gotten to know some of the toughest kids in town (with some of the soundest) but that taught him about character, other cultures, street smarts and cop on.

I knew many of it's passed pupils and they were proud of their Alma mater. Although it doesn't rank high on the league tables (due to the fact that they are mesured by graduates that attend University as opposed to just college, with Trinity college Dublin upping the ranking and so on), it does in fact have many kids attending college after leaving cert. My lads done the leaving, solid results and now in third level....

Go figure

gaeilgegrinds · 15-09-2009 10:56pm

The jobs are for VEC staff, overstaffed in most of their centres, some extra jobs will be available but not many.

gaeilgegrinds · 15-09-2009 10:57pm

I really can't get over the attitude of some of the posters before me. I went to a school with travellers, kids from other countries and with different religions, didn't stop me topping the points of all my friends in 'good' schools. What a load of nonsense!

mike kelly · 16-09-2009 10:20pm

Xiney wrote: »

I think going to a school with a mix of cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds is probably one of the best lessons school can teach a child.

It'll teach them to watch their back

biko · 17-09-2009 9:25am

mike kelly win a holiday

Greaney · 17-09-2009 10:47am

gaeilgegrinds wrote: »

I really can't get over the attitude of some of the posters before me. I went to a school with travellers, kids from other countries and with different religions, didn't stop me topping the points of all my friends in 'good' schools. What a load of nonsense!

I know Gaeilge, I unfortunatily had the same attitude as some snobby parents and I was proved wrong. Bottom line? It really does start in the home, if your kid is copped on, has a mind of their own, has some values and knows right from wrong, is loved and subsequently confident, they'll be grand!

I've been working with kids now for well over 15 years and in my opinion 90% of parents worries are just worries..... not fact based at all!!

Stevolende · 18-10-2009 10:57pm

Was wondering exactly where that was going to be after seeing the notice at the entry to Tuir Uisce a couple of weeks back. assumed it must be the fenced off site & just had that confirmed. Hope what has been said about one there and one on the other side of Doughiska rd is right.
It struck me that as it was a school located next to the park would have no room for expansion, which I would assume it likely to need within a few years. Unless it somehow expanded into the Merlin Park woods. & hope it wouldn't do that since there's little enough of them as it is.

Also looks like the bypass rd is just about to become extremely busy at the back of the point where the other school is likely to go. They've been building a junction on the motorway there for a while as I had seen before, but just got signposted recently. Not sure if that's going to have immediate effect on a school being built there. Would assume a high wall to be prescribed for that side of the school if that's where it's going.

Well, was just trying to work out where exactly that school was going when I found this thread so now have a clearer picture.

seriouslysweet · 28-11-2011 11:49pm

Seems they have started building, when is this school to open?

antoobrien · 29-11-2011 10:56am

seriouslysweet wrote: »

Seems they have started building, when is this school to open?

The primary school is already open (in the prefabs) isn't it?

Mrs OBumble · 29-11-2011 4:16pm

antoobrien wrote: »

The primary school is already open (in the prefabs) isn't it?

Yes, but on the other side of the park.

antoobrien · 29-11-2011 4:19pm

JustMary wrote: »

Yes, but on the other side of the park.

I haven't been paying too much attention to the plans but I though that's where they were supposed to be built.

anyhow, good to see something new & well needed opening up on this side of town.

forsaleireland · 29-11-2011 4:41pm

Bonzodog wrote: »

Both schools are going to be non-denominational, by the way.

I live on Tur Uisce, and there are a number of West African families sending their children to the Oranmore National schools, but its known that they are not happy about the fact that because both schools are Catholic, its being fed to the children, and most of the West Africans, whilst being Christian, are fundie evangelist christians.

My daughter likewise attends Scoil Mhuire in Oranmore, but I want her to stay there, so we are looking at upping roots and moving to Oranmore in the near future.

As for the location of the schools, well, I believe the primary is going on the land between the park and Tur Uisce itself near the back there, and the High School is going on the land between the new motorway junction and Tur Uisce.

I personally do not want my daughter in the new schools, as I believe they could end up being quite rough schools. The breakdown and mixture of pupils will make it so, with all the local traveller children attending there as well.

one solution

go back to africa

Mod note: user banned for this comment

fissureseal · 22-02-2012 5:22pm

Anyone have any further info on what s the state of play with the two schools ?? I see the residents of tur uisce have objected to the building of the new schools and have appealed , dunno will that delay things by much ??!!!

Zzippy · 22-02-2012 6:02pm

fissureseal wrote: »

Anyone have any further info on what s the state of play with the two schools ?? I see the residents of tur uisce have objected to the building of the new schools and have appealed , dunno will that delay things by much ??!!!

The appeal is based on the access road being forced through the estate, rather than using the corridor of land earmarked for a bus corridor in future years. Will mean chaos in the mornings for residents. None of the residents want to stop or delay building of the schools, just to have an alternative access put in place.

The Doughiska Residents Association (not the Tur Uisce residents - the whole area) held a public meeting 2 weeks ago about the issue. They delivered a flyer giving less than 24 hours notice to Tur Uisce residents of the meeting. One would almost swear they didn't want people to turn up.

The city council are fighting the residents on the issue - apparently its not ok to use a bus corridor for 30 minutes a day, but its ok to push a new road through a private estate and cause traffic chaos for residents :rolleyes:
Also, none of the residents were made aware when buying in the estate that this road would be built.

wet-paint · 22-02-2012 7:28pm

High School? What's it going to be called, DeGrassi Junior High?

When did that particular americanisation come in? It's a bloody horrible one.

Mrs OBumble · 22-02-2012 10:57pm

Zzippy wrote: »

The appeal is based on the access road being forced through the estate, .... They delivered a flyer giving less than 24 hours notice to Tur Uisce residents of the meeting. One would almost swear they didn't want people to turn up.

The city council are fighting the residents on the issue - apparently its not ok to use a bus corridor for 30 minutes a day, but its ok to push a new road through a private estate and cause traffic chaos for residents :rolleyes:

Yup, I've heard much the same thing.

The short notice was due to some deadline from the central government agency that's behind the funding - something to do with the public-private-partnership that's behind it.

Interestingly, though the bus-corridor has been in the district plan for a while, it's never been widely discussed in the city. Basically it involves cutting a wide road through Merlin Woods (one of very few green amenity areas in the east of the city), and cutting Doughiska in half. This will save buses from Dublin a few minutes only, given that there is a bus-lane on the bit of the Dublin Road that they'll be skipping. And it will involve putting yet another intersection into the already-dangerous are near the Merlin Hospital entry (the bus lane runs a bit to the north of the hospital, but comes out south of the existing exit AFAIK. There are some people think it's not actually a great idea.

Stevolende · 23-02-2012 10:07am

Hadn't heard that, but sad to hear they're thinking of cutting into the Merlin Woods. From what I've seen there's little enough of that as there is.
Was thinking school expansion might be bad for cutting chunks out of them but a bus corridor is bound to be worse.
Is it supposed to follow the existing path or what? Can't see any other choice. & presumably connect to the road out of Merlin Park Hospital?
Couldn't they just connect with the road that goes through Merlin Park Hospital from the road near the top of Doughiska Rd?

antoobrien · 23-02-2012 10:14am

wet-paint wrote: »

When did that particular americanisation come in? It's a bloody horrible one.

Sorry for ye but it's a common name for schools in the UK

Sponge Bob · 23-02-2012 10:29am

No way An Bord Pleanála will let 1000 odd pupils get dropped off every morning inside a housing estate. The much smaller Coláiste na Coiribe complex in Knocknacarra was only granted OUTLINE permission subject to a new road being built into it and a Traffic Control Plan being submitted along with the full application.

http://www.galwaynews.ie/5168-planning-appeals-board-sanctions-secondary-school-knocknacarra

http://www.pleanala.ie/documents/reports/228/R228629.pdf

Not forgetting the even smaller Primary School in Knocknacarra.

http://www.pleanala.ie/documents/reports/220/R220897.pdf

And taking into account the concerns of residents of Fana Burca and Doire Gheal about the traffic hazards these would create within those two estates.

Zzippy · 23-02-2012 11:41am

Sponge Bob wrote: »

No way An Bord Pleanála will let 1000 odd pupils get dropped off every morning inside a housing estate. The much smaller Coláiste na Coiribe complex in Knocknacarra was only granted OUTLINE permission subject to a new road being built into it and a Traffic Control Plan being submitted along with the full application.

http://www.galwaynews.ie/5168-planning-appeals-board-sanctions-secondary-school-knocknacarra

http://www.pleanala.ie/documents/reports/228/R228629.pdf

Not forgetting the even smaller Primary School in Knocknacarra.

http://www.pleanala.ie/documents/reports/220/R220897.pdf

And taking into account the concerns of residents of Fana Burca and Doire Gheal about the traffic hazards these would create within those two estates.

You would think the City Council would have learned from that example. You would think...

Doughiska Schools

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