Cork Education and Training Board together with the Diocese of Cloyne have last [Friday 23rd September] celebrated the official opening of the €6.5 million state-of the art Coláiste in Buttevant at a ceremony officiated by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed, T.D.
Speaking at the launch Minister Creed said “It is a great honour to be present on this historic day for Buttevant and North Cork. I want to thank Ted Owens and Bishop Crean for inviting me to officiate today and I want to pay tribute to all involved in the establishment of this state of the art centre of education. It is a testament to the sense of community locally and the value placed on education and young people and I want to wish all the staff, students and parents a bright future.”
The new 4,384 square metre campus is one of the most modern in the country and includes specialist lecture rooms, music/dance workshops, science laboratories, engineering workshops, a multimedia learning laboratory, library, prayer/meditation room, multi-sensory room, PE hall, fitness suite and extensive external hard court areas.
The project received huge support from the wider community who were earnest in their pursuit of a state of the art upgraded modern facility for Buttevant. The delivery of the new school campus will provide Coláiste Mhuire with an amazing facility and will provide the physical and tech-nological environment that the community richly deserves. The new school will further enhance the educational experience of the 300 plus students attending Coláiste Mhuire.
The Chief Executive of Cork Education and Training Board, Mr. Ted Owens was also full in his praise for the local drive which provided the momentum for this school to be built “As with all such projects this would not have come to fruition without the single-minded drive of the people of Buttevant and the adjoining areas. Whenever required, the local community got behind the project to make sure that it was delivered. I am particularly thrilled for the pupils, parents and staff at the new Coláiste”.
The school is under the Co-Patronage of both Cork Education and Training Board and the Diocese of Cloyne and to this end Bishop William Crean, Bishop of Cloyne was present to bless the building and to give his best wishes to staff and students alike saying, “Each new generation of students face the unique challenges of their time. I am grateful to know that this generation are greatly blessed in the opportunities that Coláiste Mhuire offers”.
The school is staffed by a 42 strong team of experienced teachers and support staff headed up by Principal Donal O’Sulli-van, who spoke during the ceremony saying; “The whole school community is absolutely delighted with the new school campus since we moved in last Christmas. The standard and specification of the completed project far exceeds our expectations. The resources and spaces now provided ensure that we can create excellent teaching and learning environments within and outside of our classrooms. The possi-bilities and opportunities such a campus provides us with are vast and are already being recognised at this early stage. On behalf of the entire school community I would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who supported the Coláiste down through the years. Without the ongoing support of our parents and students, the local community, Cork ETB and the Diocese of Cloyne this project may never have been realised. Through such support we have secured the future of Coláiste Mhuire for generations to come”.
Coláiste Mhuire Buttevant
Open Evening will be held on Thursday 6th October 2016 at 7.30pm.
All welcome.