Class celebrations: new rooms at Kilkenny school

SCHOOLS MAY soon be closing for the summer recess but yesterday one primary school in rural Kilkenny was throwing its doors open…

SCHOOLS MAY soon be closing for the summer recess but yesterday one primary school in rural Kilkenny was throwing its doors open.

Teachers and pupils at Burnchurch National School welcomed Bishop Séamus Freeman SAC and Phil Hogan TD to celebrate the opening and blessing of their newly renovated school.

Located in the parish of Danesfort in south Kilkenny, where the history of schooling dates back to the early 19th century, the Burnchurch school was built in 1949.

Its renovation last year, through the work of the board of management and the parents' association, brought two new classrooms, a staff room and an Astroturf pitch.

A history of the school, including memories from past pupils, the oldest of whom started school in 1925, is also being collated along with a database of all past pupils in order to provide valuable records for future generations in Burnchurch.

There is an open day at Burnchurch school today and past pupils with memories or photographs are invited to bring them along or send them to burnchurchns@eircom.net.

  • Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date

  • Sign up for push alerts to get the best breaking news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone

  • Listen to In The News podcast daily for a deep dive on the stories that matter

Joanne Hunt

Joanne Hunt

Joanne Hunt, a contributor to The Irish Times, writes about homes and property, lifestyle, and personal finance