Coláiste Íosagáin, Ballyvourney

Coláiste Íosagáin was a Catholic gaelcholáiste (Irish language secondary school) in Ballyvourney, County Cork, Ireland. The school was built in phases in the 1930s.[1]

Coláiste Íosagáin
Location
Map

Ireland
Coordinates51°56′43″N 9°09′52″W / 51.9453°N 9.1645°W / 51.9453; -9.1645
Information
Established1940
Closed1989
GenderMale (until 1974)
co-educational (from 1974)
Religious orderDe La Salle

The boarding school was opened on 4 July 1940[2] by the De La Salle Brothers as a preparatory school, i.e. a secondary school to prepare pupils to become Irish language primary school teachers. Located in the Muskerry Gaeltacht, its admission criteria prioritised Irish speakers, especially native speakers.[3]

Closure

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The school closed in 1989 and was amalgamated with nearby Gairmscoil Ghobnatan (opened in 1950) to form Colaiste Ghobnatan.[4]

The building fell into decay. It was purchased in 1998 for IR£215,000 by Údarás na Gaeltachta.[5] Several plans were made for new uses of the site, but all fell through, including a 1999 plan for a £1.5m national all-Irish education facility for which education minister Michael Woods turned the sod in 1999.[5] An industrial estate was built on the former playing field.[2]

Renovations began in late 2022, and in April 2023 Údarás na Gaeltachta announced that part of the building would become a ‘Gteic’ regional digital hub with offices and hot-desk facilities. [6] This hub is the first step in a plan which is proposed to include a training base, exhibition hall and offices for agencies such as Údarás na Gaeltachta itself and local community organisations.[7]

Notable past pupils

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References

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  1. ^ "Coláiste Íosagáin, Slievereagh, Baile Bhuirne [Ballyvourney], Cork". buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Coláiste Íosagáin, Ballyvourney". iosagain.wordpress.com. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  3. ^ "RTE celebrates contribution of Coláiste Íosagáin". Lasallian District of Ireland, Great Britain and Malta. 26 July 2022. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Information - Brief History of the School". colaisteghobnatan.ie. Coláiste Ghobnatan. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Gairmscoil Ghobnatan, as it was then known, was opened in 1950 [..] In 1989 Scoil Ghobnatan amalgamated with Coláiste Iosagáin to form Coláiste Ghobnatan
  5. ^ a b Whelan, Elaine (14 April 2023). "Former Cork boarding school set to become digital hub". Evening Echo. Cork. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  6. ^ O'Connell, Pet (23 April 2023). "Iconic Cork Gaeltacht building to get 'new purpose in new era'". Irish Examiner. Cork. Archived from the original on 9 August 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  7. ^ Ó Liatháin, Concubhar (11 April 2023). "Planning permission granted for €5m Cork Gaeltacht digital centre". The Corkman. Mallow. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.