Plan to give former Clonalvy school a new lease of life

LMETB understood to be interested in acquiring the premises for use as a new educational facility

The former Clonalvy National School could be used for a new Community National School, as the Louth Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB) has indicated it would consider opening a new school in the building.

At a public meeting in Clonalvy last week, Minister Helen McEntee said LMETB was interested in acquiring the premises for use as a school.

At that same meeting it emerged there were between 24 and 30 children who would be enrolled if a new school was provided there.

Last month, community groups in the area appealed to the Bishop of Meath to postpone the sale of the old school building, which closed in 2019, to enable the community look at acquiring the premises and its potential uses.

Patricia Rogers of the Clonalvy Revival Programme said they were delighted with the LMETB's proposal for a new school and hoped that the board would be successful.

The combined community group from Clonalvy has now written to both the Bishop of Meath and LMETB indicating their support for the proposed new school.

In the communication with the LMETB they said there was considerable local interest in being able to access adult education programmes which members of the public believe could be delivered at the school.

The community group in their letter to the Bishop said there is an ongoing demand for educational facilities in the Clonalvy area and there is a strong case to be made that the re-established school would have a viable future.

In a message to the combined community group last week the Bishop indicated that following the closure of the school, the Department of Education took steps to formally divest the Minister for Education of her interest in the school and the premises ceased to be a recognised primary school.

“As the premises is held in trust by the Diocese of Meath on behalf of the parish, it was requested to dispose of it and that the net proceeds from the sale will return to the parish,” he said.

“In such circumstances, as a trustee, the Diocese is under an obligation to obtain market value for the premises, however, it is happy to consider, and would welcome an approach by the Louth Meath Education and Training Board if they decide to purchase the former school,” Bishop Deenihan said.

Clonalvy resident and Board member of LMETB, Cllr Nick Killian said the board was interested in establishing a Community National School similar to those it operates in Navan, Dunshaughlin, Ashbourne and Faughart.

“There is full community support for it to be used as an educational facility. At a recent community meeting when parents were asked would they send their children to the school it emerged there were 24 children who would attend if it was set up.

“I hope Bishop Deenihan would look favourably at its return to education, which is what the community of Clonalvy wants.”