School History
On Friday 19th November 1982, The Anglo Celt newspaper ran with the front page headline, “FINE NEW SCHOOL FOR KILLESHANDRA.”
Indeed, there was a fine new school built by the name of Scoil Bhríde, Cill na Seanrátha.
This spacious six classroom building, complete with general purpose room, office, staffroom, library and storeroom was built to replace the previous school building erected in 1925. [The old school was a four classroom building used as two separate schools for boys and girls. Both schools were amalgamated in 1974 and Mr Tomás Ó Raghallaigh was appointed Principal.]
Mr John P Wilson, Minister for Transport and Posts and Telegraphs, who official opened Scoil Bhríde in 1982 in front of a large attendance, praised the work of the architects, Messrs Shaffrey and partners along with local man Hubert Duffy who were responsible for overseeing the work on the school.
He complimented them on the layout of the school, especially the spacious tarmacadam playground which could be utilised for football, basketball, volleyball and a play area. There was also a fantastic area for smaller children to play on. Finally he wished the principal of the school, Mr. Tomás O Raghallaigh, the Vice-Principal, Máire Bean Mhic Aoalba and all the teachers every success with their work in the fine new building.
Now, forty one years later, Scoil Bhríde is still a fine building with spacious modern classrooms and large play areas.
Mrs Thelma Kelly replaced Mr. Tomás O Raghallaigh as Principal in 2000 following his retirement. Upon Mrs Thelma Kelly’s retirement in 2012, Mrs Helen Flynn was appointed Principal . Mrs Flynn retired in June 2019 and Mrs Sarah Ginty joined the staff as Principal in September 2019.
In September 2022 we opened our first Special Class, an Early Intervention ASD class (Caterpillar Class) and in September 2023 we opened an ASD class (Butterfly Class) which aims to cater for autistic children in our locality.
Scoil Bhríde was granted a large building extension by Minister of Education Norma Foley in November 2022. Work on this new extension will commence in 2023.
