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Athenry secondary schools - some queries

  • 07-02-2021 7:42pm
    #1
    Geuze
    Registered Users Posts: 13,036 ✭✭✭✭


    I wonder can somebody answer some queries for me?

    (1) Two new second-level schools have been built in Athenry during the past decade - is that correct?

    (2) the new Clarin College is the replacement for the VEC/ETB school that was on the Caheroyn road?

    (3) the new Presentation College is a replacement of a former school off NorthGate street / behind Dealz shop / near Scoil Chroi Naofa?


    (4) I am surprised that a town has managed to get two new second-level schools within what seems to be a few years. Yet I now read, or maybe I'm confused, that there are plans for a third new second-level school, this time a Gaelscoil? Is that correct?


Comments

  • #2
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭[Deleted User]


    Geuze wrote: »
    I wonder can somebody answer some queries for me?

    (1) Two new second-level schools have been built in Athenry during the past decade - is that correct?

    (2) the new Clarin College is the replacement for the VEC/ETB school that was on the Caheroyn road?

    (3) the new Presentation College is a replacement of a former school off NorthGate street / behind Dealz shop / near Scoil Chroi Naofa?


    (4) I am surprised that a town has managed to get two new second-level schools within what seems to be a few years. Yet I now read, or maybe I'm confused, that there are plans for a third new second-level school, this time a Gaelscoil? Is that correct?

    1 - Yes
    2 - Its not a replacement, Clarin College moved from Caheroyn to new premises
    3 - Again, not a replacement, a site move of the Pres
    4 - Yes and no. Secondary & Primary as far as I know

    There has been a lot of investment in Athenry by a multitude of govt depts over the last 10 years as its being positioned as a significant satellite town of Galway city and there is a lot more planned.

    The town had several million spent on new sewerage treatment. More again on new phases of the ring road, and extensive works to put in footpaths, streetlighting etc around the town.

    There is further investment due by Irish Water to address the sewerage system which is the last roadblock to more estates being built (there's currently planning for approx 300 houses. The next phase of the ring road is funded and it should go to construction next year I think, but don't quote me on that.

    Finally, with regards to so much being spent on new schools, you have to look at what was replaced, they really were brutal kips with a large amount of students in pre-2000's pre-fabs. All schools in Athenry were also over-subscribed and were in desperate need of expansion.

    Compared to when I went to school, it really is good to see that the DoE have a significant capital investment strategy which results in the gradual replacement of a lot of the worst of our schools.


  • #3
    sgthighway
    Registered Users Posts: 1,530 ✭✭✭sgthighway


    When the last recession hit the Government launches an initiative to build schools to keep builders in employment and try and move away from prefabs.Most towns got new schools or extensions. If you notice most of them are very similar as they are done to a similar specification to ensure they are the correct size and have the correct facilities/fittings.
    I thought the Secondary and Primary Gael Scoils were going into the old Colaiste Clairin school?


  • #4
    Geuze
    Registered Users Posts: 13,036 ✭✭✭✭Geuze


    Just on (4), the combined primary and secondary, can you clarify whether the plans are for another new-build?




    I'm just a bit surprised that Oranmore has four supermarkets and one school, while Athenry has one supermarket and two, soon to be three, secondary schools.



    I agree that Athenry should grow.


    Indeed, I suggest moving some/part of the HQ of Galway Co. Co. there.


  • #5
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭[Deleted User]


    Geuze wrote: »
    Just on (4), the combined primary and secondary, can you clarify whether the plans are for another new-build?

    As far as I've heard, its new build unless there is some parts of the old school that are protected structures or suitable for rehabilitation.
    I'm just a bit surprised that Oranmore has four supermarkets and one school, while Athenry has one supermarket and two, soon to be three, secondary schools.

    You have to look at the catchment areas though. Athenry has a huge catchment area for secondary students, Oranmore has a much smaller area

    Athenry schools (top 3) distance to other secondary schools

    542477.jpg

    You'll note that the next nearest is actually the Oranmore secondary school at 13km with the next one being nearly 17km.

    Now, Oranmores distance to the next nearest

    542476.jpg

    Does that make more sense now?


  • #6
    what_traffic
    Registered Users Posts: 4,864 ✭✭✭what_traffic


    DaCor wrote: »
    Now, Oranmores distance to the next nearest

    542476.jpg

    Does that make more sense now?

    Minor thing - but that chart looks out of date by a no of years. Coláiste na Coirbe would be bottom of the list since it moved to the Ballymoneen Road + have been mergers of the other schools listed.


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  • #7
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users Posts: 25,656 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    DaCor wrote: »
    You have to look at the catchment areas though. Athenry has a huge catchment area for secondary students, Oranmore has a much smaller area

    ....

    Does that make more sense now?

    But surely Athenry has the same huge catchment area for supermarkets?

    Arguably the issue is that it's under-served with shops, rather than over served with schools.


  • #8
    what_traffic
    Registered Users Posts: 4,864 ✭✭✭what_traffic


    Mrs OBumble wrote: »
    But surely Athenry has the same huge catchment area for supermarkets?

    Arguably the issue is that it's under-served with shops, rather than over served with schools.

    It may or may not be; by all means start a thread on it, is it relevant to the main aspect of this thread though?
    Supermarkets were brought in to use as a comparator - but its not very useful.


  • #9
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭[Deleted User]


    what_traffic wrote: »
    Minor thing - but that chart looks out of date by a no of years. Coláiste na Coirbe would be bottom of the list since it moved to the Ballymoneen Road + have been mergers of the other schools listed.

    Its from https://www.irishtimes.com/feeder-schools/

    The location data is out of date, yes. It still shows 2 of the Athenry schools at their old locations among other things. However, it does not have such an effect as to change my point about catchment sizes so I left it as is.

    Perfect being the enemy of good and all that


  • #10
    what_traffic
    Registered Users Posts: 4,864 ✭✭✭what_traffic


    DaCor wrote: »
    Its from https://www.irishtimes.com/feeder-schools/

    The location data is out of date, yes. It still shows 2 of the Athenry schools at their old locations among other things. However, it does not have such an effect as to change my point about catchment sizes so I left it as is.

    Perfect being the enemy of good and all that

    That is true


  • #11
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users Posts: 25,656 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    what_traffic wrote: »
    It may or may not be; by all means start a thread on it, is it relevant to the main aspect of this thread though?
    Supermarkets were brought in to use as a comparator - but its not very useful.

    So what is a good comparator?


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  • #12
    Boardnashea
    Registered Users Posts: 823 ✭✭✭Boardnashea


    Athenry has had three post primary schools for a number of years. Colaiste an Eachraidh has been there for 15 years now. Two schools have moved to completely new premises and the Colaiste is getting a new school on the old Clárin College site. The Gaelscoile is going there as well.


  • #13
    what_traffic
    Registered Users Posts: 4,864 ✭✭✭what_traffic


    Mrs OBumble wrote: »
    So what is a good comparator?

    Read POST 5 again and then ask yourself what you want to compare. ;)


  • #14
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭[Deleted User]


    Boardnashea wrote: »
    Athenry has had three post primary schools for a number of years. Colaiste an Eachraidh has been there for 15 years now. Two schools have moved to completely new premises and the Colaiste is getting a new school on the old Clárin College site. The Gaelscoile is going there as well.

    Whats the story with the old Pres site? I know there is still a primary school there. I heard it mentioned somewhere that the whole site is to be taken over for a much larger primary school but I have no concrete info as to how true that is.


  • #15
    Boardnashea
    Registered Users Posts: 823 ✭✭✭Boardnashea


    DaCor wrote: »
    Whats the story with the old Pres site? I know there is still a primary school there. I heard it mentioned somewhere that the whole site is to be taken over for a much larger primary school but I have no concrete info as to how true that is.

    That is where Colaiste an Eachraidh is currently located. And a primary school in the buildings at the gate.


  • #16
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭[Deleted User]


    Boardnashea wrote: »
    That is where Colaiste an Eachraidh is currently located. And a primary school in the buildings at the gate.

    Were they not over by the station? Or are they spread across a few locations? Am I thinking of something else near the station?

    Does that mean that Pres site actually housed 4 schools? The Pres, The Colaiste, and 2 primaries (1 of which was a gaelscoil).

    So if they are in the Pres site now and moving to the Clarin site, whats happening with the Pres site?


  • #17
    1perriwinkle
    Registered Users Posts: 177 ✭✭1perriwinkle


    Collasite an Eachreidh was formerly situated opposite the train station, in (mostly) prefabs, on the same site as the GRETB offices.
    Gaelscoil Riada was formerly situated in prefabs on the Raheen road, out by the tennis courts.
    Both are now using the old Pres secondary school building, temporarily, while waiting for the new gaelscoil 'campus' to be built across the road, on the site that was the tech (Clarin college). This will have two school buildings, and (some) shared services. Funding has been granted for this, an optimist might say it will be around 2 years from now when they'll be built...
    The Pres primary (girls) is still on the site where the Pres secondary is.

    Athenry has a huge catchment area which is why it has so many secondary schools, kids come from far and wide to attend school there. The collaiste (secondary) for example takes kids from a number of gaelscoil primary schools such as Tuam, Loughrea, Oranmore etc as it is the only gaelscoil secondary outside Galway city as far as I'm aware.

    WRT to the supermarkets question, it is well known that the reason there is only 1 is that Joyces supermarket (among others) have objected to planning applications by the likes of Lidl and Aldi numerous times - there are other threads on boards on this topic - so much to everyones frustration we're stuck with just the one!


  • #18
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 5,121 ✭✭✭[Deleted User]


    Purely my impression but Oranmore is more settled with a wider range of ages but Athenry was a Celtic Tiger boom town and the kids born in those estates are now secondary school age.


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