'It takes a village to raise a child' Sensory garden in Boyerstown completes the 'Rainbow'

An Tobar Men’s Shed have created a beautiful sensory garden in the grounds of Boyerstown NS beside The Rainbow Room - a state of-the-art sensory classroom with specialist equipment and teaching aids. TRACY CARROLL, whose daughter Willow, is a student in the Rainbow Room, writes how this small country school is leading the way in Diversity in Education

A COMMUNITY came together under the colours of The Rainbow Room in Boyerstown NS to officially open its magical Sensory Garden.

The small country school with 140 pupils is proudly leading the way in Diversity in Education and Inclusion with last Friday (26th of April) marking another very special day at a very special school.

At the official ribbon cutting and opening of the new school Sensory Garden, principal Mr Cathal Ó Bric, welcomed students, parents, An Tobar Men's Shed, parish priest of Bohermeen, Fr Andy Doyle and members of the school community who joined this great celebration.

An Tobar Men's shed was especially welcomed.

“The men have spent many months working together, using their hands and combined skills to prepare the Sensory Garden, ensuring all the groundwork was completed to bring us here today,” said Mr Ó Bric who spoke of how communities in the past supported each other.

“In our grandparents time farming communities often worked together. Neighbours helped each other with large farming tasks like making the hay and gathering the harvest. When neighbours worked together like this, it was often called a 'Meitheal', which is the Irish word for team. Creating the Sensory Garden has been achieved because of teamwork.

"The men's shed, the students, staff, parents came together to add plants, tactile objects, painting a variety of colours, gifts and labour, ensuring every sense can be experienced.

“Sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch. We see with our eyes, we smell with our noses, we listen with our ears, we taste with our tongue, and we touch with our skin.”

Mr Ó Bric thanked everyone, and shared how proud he is of what has been achieved, and that this garden can be shared with all within Boyerstown Community.

Ms Geraldine Smith, The Rainbow Room teacher shared how this wonderful garden was built from a tiny seed to the beautiful space which the children can now enjoy each day.

“Last November, I had a vision, to create a sensory garden to enhance the education experience for the girls in the Rainbow Room, but also creating an accessible space, for all students to enjoy and explore together.

“What followed was a phone call to Richard Brady, seeking help to build a garden that would have something for every age and ability from junior infants to sixth class”

From the initial call, a meeting was held and the men from An Tobar Men's shed arrived tools in hand. Months of labour, care and community spirit have created the most beautiful garden for the school.

Ms Smith thanked each of the men individually, Richard Brady, Tommy Rogers, PJ Monaghan, Dessie Murtagh, Gerry Doherty, Alfred Woods, Johnny Murtagh and Brendan Weldon.

She spoke of the men being local and our neighbours, some of the men, grandfathers to students in the school.

“What does local mean” asked a junior infant student. “Local means they all live in houses near the school, part of the community” Ms Smith explained.

“Do they live in that house, that house and that one” asked another student, pointing to houses along the road. “They do”, allowing the children to appreciate how the community has come together to bring something very special to their school.

The men's shed also fundraised to purchase supplies to ensure the groundwork was completed without requesting funding from the school, they invested in every way possible.

Ms Smith finished her speech with a quote,

“How beautiful a day when kindness touches it.”

Richard Brady scissors ready in hand, waiting as the countdown began 5,4,3,2,1, to a loud “Happy New Year” and the eruption of laughter through the yard. Another countdown, the ribbon was cut, and the sensory garden opened to huge excitement.

Orla Smyth, who works as a SNA in the classroom says “the magic keeps on going."

"The Rainbow in our class brings people together and it is a gift that keeps on giving”

What was a parents wish in 2019, to see her children attend the same school, became a community supported success. A typical request for most parents, but for a child with diverse educational needs, this wish mostly never becomes a reality.

January 2023, The Rainbow Room opened its doors to an Inclusive Education classroom.

Everything in the class, from the seating to staffing, was carefully designed and planned, to ensure the students with disabilities can learn alongside their peers, transforming what was a traditional model of mainstream education, to one of inclusion and belonging.

Minister Roderic O’Gorman, from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth paid a special visit to the school on Wednesday the 25th Of April.

Willow Carroll, a student in The Rainbow Room, presented Minister O'Gorman with a special handmade bouquet, which he proudly held for the duration of his visit. The Minister spent time with Ms Smith, discussing how all children have access to the same curriculum, as their peers, they just do it “their way”.

The conversation addressed the challenges faced in building an inclusive classroom, the need to reform funding, and the current support model, to enhance and make education accessible for all.

Minister Gorman was incredibly impressed by the school and to see Diversity in Education in a small country school, showcasing best practice. He ensured work is progressing in addressing Special Education, and how they can develop a structure that can be fully supportive and inclusive to all abilities.

“It is fantastic to see how Inclusion works in the school, to see peers educated together and to grow with the lived experience of diversity”

Nationally we now must address the need for diverse educational supports, working to change the mindset. Reform the current model of education, and develop an education system, where schools are equipped with classrooms, staff and therapies that are ready for all children, moving away from the pressure where kids are forced to be ready, or to fit into traditional classrooms.

It is a constitutional right for every child to receive an education, yet not equal opportunity for all. We must address how we view Special Education, to change our language, removing stigma and othering. The need to develop a fully immersed, child centered model of education has never been more pressing.

Belonging is more than just being included or present in a space.

People want to experience belonging, and that’s more than merely a location of classrooms or participation in clubs—it’s about what students experience and the relationships that develop in those places.

If there was ever an example to follow, Boyerstown NS is leading the way.