Ogonnelloe National School Co Clare

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Summary of 08 - 09 events

This year's committee was Eleanor Walsh (Chairperson), Anna McElhinney (Secretary), Maura Kinahan (Treasurer), Orlaith Ringrose, Diane Sheedy, Fiona Keane, John Dwan, Annette Rowan, Una Keegan, Sheila Lynch, Gary Walsh.

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Summary of 07 - 08 events

In the school academic year ‘07/’08, with the assistance of the staff in the school, we organised an artist, Nicola Henly, to come to the school with the financial assistance of the Arts Council through Clare County Council.  The children (and staff!) art work was then displayed in an art exhibition in the parish hall in December.  The exhibitors (aka the kids) were issued with two invitations to give to their neighbours or friends. It was a great success with lots of members of the Ogonnelloe parish present.


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An election was held for the position of parents’ representatives on the Board of Management.  Sheila Lynch and Gary Walsh were elected.

A raffle took place at Christmas time and a carol singing evening resulted in raising some money in aid of Concern. Over 70 shoeboxes were filled with Christmas gifts for the Operation Christmas Child (Samaritans purse) campaign.

After many years of congestion at the front of the school at drop off and pick up times, an agreement was put in place with the school staff, Board of Management, Parents’ Association and GAA regarding the use of the GAA car park during these times.  A lot of behind the scenes work was needed to put a set of guidelines together.  Parents supervised the first two weeks of the guidelines in place and since then generally they are working really, really well and it is well recognised as a far safer option for the parents and children.

The children really enjoyed the Colours Day which was held on February 13th, the before the mid term break

On February 29th, the parish council held an evening entitled “Leap into the Future”.  The evening gathered both new and old members of the parish.  Each club in the parish was invited to send representatives and to give a short description of their activities and contact information.  Eleanor spoke on behalf of us.

Throughout the year, the parents’ have supported the teachers efforts in the Eco Schools program.  We look forward to progressing this project next year.

There are ongoing discussions with the Parents’ Association and Sean Lenihan, Senior Executive Engineer, Clare County Council about the traffic barrier outside the school and traffic calming measures in the surrounding areas.  Money has been set aside for traffic calming measures.  These improvements should be implemented around August. As a result of Parents’ Association and Board of Management discussions with Sean, the council cut the hedge outside the school.

Throughout the year, the parents’ have supported the teachers efforts in the Eco Schools program.  We look forward to progressing this project next year.

The suggestion of a school garden came from a parent and after consulting with her colleagues, Ms Horkan gave the (green!) thumbs up to the project.  On a very showery April Saturday morning a group of parents constructed four raised beds. All of the materials for these were either donated free of charge or paid for by the generous donation of the Bell Family. 

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Under the Heritage in Schools Scheme, the school claimed some money to pay for services of the gardener, Aine Ni Fhlatharta of the Irish Seed Savers Association (ISSA) to work with the children over three visits.  The rest of the funding came from the Parents’ Association.  On her first visit they planted seed potatoes directly into one of the beds.  She and the children also planted seeds for a variety of vegetables into small pots. These were expertly looked after by the McKeogh family in their polytunnel.  Aine’s second visit involved transplanting from the pots into the other seed beds.  Her third visit will be in September/October, when hopefully the kids will be harvesting vegetables including pumpkins!

Our contact with the ISSA resulted in receiving four apple trees under a grant scheme which was a joint venture between the Department of Agriculture, under the Genetic Conservation Fund, and the ISSA.  The Clare People published an article on this event on March 18th along with photographs taken on the day.

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We jointly funded the visit of Cora Harrison, author, with the Writers in Residence scheme, to the school in April.  She spent some time with each of the classes and signed some books.

The annual quiz night was held in Rooney’s on April 18th.  There were fifteen tables taken on the night with eventual winners Vanessa Sheedy, Ingrid O’Brien, Noreen Quinn and Tom Quinn. 

Diane Sheedy volunteered to be the Parents’ Association representative on the Parish Council. Maura Kinahan volunteered to be our representative on the parish hall committee.

Tremendous credit is due to the parents’ of the third class children and the parents’ association committee who did not have children making their First Holy Communion, for their organisation of the party for this special day in the parish.  The layout of the hall was superb and the food prepared was delicious and plentiful.  There was a great atmosphere  and many visitors to the hall on the day remarked on how wonderful the event was.

In June, we invited the Mountshannon Youth Orchestra to play a concert in the parish hall. The children who attended got a great chance to see other children who were a similar age to them, play the different instruments in an orchestra. Again, The Clare People sent a photographer to cover the event.