Glenswilly National School
| Glenswilly National School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
 | |
| Information | |
| Former name | Rashedoge NS; Keelogs NS; Templedouglas NS; Trankeel NS Leitir Liag NS |
| Status | Open |
| Principal | Joseph Gallinagh |
| Campus type | Rural |
| Alumni | Manus Kelly Michael Murphy |
Glenswilly National School is an Irish school located close to Breenagh in County Donegal. It has been educating students for over 50 years.
Joseph Gallinagh is principal.[1]
History[edit]
Glenswilly is an amalgamation of five schools: they were respectfully Rashedoge NS, Keelogs NS, Templedouglas NS, Trankeel NS and Leitir Liag NS.[2][3] Roll books from each of the five schools are intact and have been put on display.[2] Glenswilly combined the five schools and began operating from September 1973 onwards.[2][3] Leitir Liag NS was the last of the schools to join.[2]
Hugh Herrity was Glenswilly National School's first principal.[2][3]
The 1980s saw two more classrooms given to Glenswilly National School.[2] Then the school began looking for a proper extension.
The school is noted for using the phrase "seeking an extension since 1992" for many years.[4] The school is noted for spending the years between 1992 and 2021 looking for an extension, which was eventually delivered.[4]
Glenswilly National School acquired some land in 2012.[2]
Liam Mac Gabhann retired as principal in 2012, having worked for twenty years to be granted that extension.[5][6] Mac Gabhann (also McGowan) was the school's second principal since the amalgamation.[2]
Joseph Gallinagh succeeded Liam Mac Gabhann (McGowan) as principal, to become its third principal since the amalgamation.[2][3]
A pupil won a Bord Gáis Theatre Award for drama in 2016.[7]
A fifth class pupil won a national art competition based on raising disability awareness in 2019.[8]
Work on extending the school to provide more classrooms was approved in 2019.[9][10] Work got underway in May 2020.[1] Phase one opened in March 2021 following the COVID-19 pandemic holiday.[11]
Glenswilly celebrated 50 years in business in 2023, excluding its time before the amalgamation, when it was operating five different schools.[2][3] Glenswilly National School began an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) class, also in 2023.[2]
Notable alumni[edit]
- Michael Murphy, a footballer who plays as a full forward[12] for Glenswilly and, formerly, for the Donegal county team, which he captained from December 2010 until his retirement from inter-county football in November 2022,[13][14][15][16] attended the school.[17]
- Manus Kelly, a rally driver, who won a three in a row Donegal International Rallies, had many dignitaries attend his funeral including Mícheal Martin. Leo Varadkar sent his aide-de-camp.[18]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Work begins on extension to Glenswilly National School". 25 May 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Glenswilly School celebrates 50 years of education". Donegal News. 28 September 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Brennan, Daniel (30 September 2023). "Glenswilly NS celebrating 50th anniversary today".
- ^ a b Heaney, Kate (18 March 2021). "New classrooms opened at Glenswilly National School". Donegal News. p. 33.
Gone is the title once used by the school 'seeking an extension since 1992' as the second phase of development and expansion continues and is scheduled to be finished in September.
- ^ "Glenswilly principal retires". 27 February 2012.
- ^ "School principal closes door on classroom after career spanning 40 years". 29 February 2012.
- ^ "Donegal lad Caolan tops Bord Gáis Theatre Awards". 6 May 2016.
- ^ "Glenswilly National School presented with prestigious Someone Like Me national art competition award". 13 December 2019.
- ^ "Donegal school gets go-ahead for major extension". 6 September 2019.
- ^ "Green Light for Major Extension of Glenswilly NS". 6 September 2019.
- ^ "A great day for Glenswilly NS as pupils return to new classrooms". 15 March 2021.
- ^ "Up Close and Personal with…Michael Murphy". 10 May 2011. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2011.
- ^ O'Connell, Cian (16 November 2022). "Michael Murphy retires from inter-county football".
- ^ "Donegal legend Michael Murphy retires from intercounty football". 16 November 2022.
- ^ "Michael Murphy announces retirement". 16 November 2022.
- ^ Verney, Michael (16 November 2022). "End of an era in Donegal as Michael Murphy announces shock inter-county retirement". Irish Independent.
- ^ "Murphy is the man in the middle as Glenswilly NS open their astro-turf pitch". 16 June 2016.
- ^ "'I don't think he realised how he touched people's hearts' – funeral of Manus Kelly in Donegal". Irish Independent. 27 June 2019.