Adopting the hit Disney animation 'Frozen' as their protest theme, pupils at Gaelscoil de hÍde were ‘frozen’ waiting for their new school to be built, three years to the day since being promised one by the Government.

Thanks to the creative styling of parent Peter Kelly, known nationally from RTÉ’s ‘Weddings by Franc’, the Gaelscoil gave an evocative seasonal demonstration highlighting their situation as fears over the new timeframe grow.

It was on December 11, 2011 when Gaelscoil de hÍde were told that a 24-classroom school would be built on a new site in Fermoy, to be operational by September 2014. Speaking at the time of the announcement, principal Sean Mac Gearailt told The Avondhu of his delight at the news.

“This is just absolutely brilliant news, we have been looking for extra space for so many years, when we were told in December it was like Santa had come early. We were told at the meeting in Tullamore that we would have a new school to move into in September 2014, but the first thing we will need to do is earmark a site for it and that will take some time.”

Fast forward three years, and the frustration is evident from Mr Mac Gearailt. “Initially we were told the school would be open in 2014, then 2015 and now we’ve been told that, all going well, it might be in place by 2016. This is simply not good enough and we want to start this process moving again. At the moment, it’s frozen in time and it’s the children who are suffering the most.”

Combining a snow machine and sheets of ice-effect glass with winter clothes and striking facepaint, the statement was one of urgency and aimed directly at politicians, primarily Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan.

A large sign calling for ‘help’ from Minister O’Sullivan featured local TD’s David Stanton (FG), Seán Sherlock (Labour) and Tom Barry (FG). Accompanying this plea was the statement: ‘You will have your new school in . . .’, followed by both 2014 and 2015 crossed out, and a question mark after 2016.

In the wake of the demonstration, Fermoy Labour councillor Noel McCarthy reiterated his belief that a 2017 opening date is ‘more realistic’.

“I’m still convinced of 2017 because we’re at 2015 now as good as, and still the land hasn’t been transferred yet. We haven’t gotten word yet that the land has been transferred to the Department of Education. I hope I’m proven wrong, but I still think 2017 is more realistic."

Cllr McCarthy too admitted the planning stage could bring its own delays. “Everybody I’ve spoken to is all for the school, but you never know - somebody could have concerns, whether it be traffic management or whatever, but there definitely could be concerns and that alone could delay the process again.”

On top of this, the potential ban on development in the area, should upcoming surveys find that the freshwater pearl mussel in significantly abundant numbers in the River Blackwater, might yet prove another stumbling block for the 700-pupil school building.

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