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Limerick Lives - Mungret Community College

Nigel Dugdale chats with the people involved with the Mungret Community College to learn about the area's history and what the new school means for the future of Mungret.

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Duration:: 7m
Broadcast on:: 03 Sep 2024
Audio Format:: mp3

(upbeat music) - Your views, your news, your limerick today with Jonette on live 95. (upbeat music) - Now time for another in our Limerick Live series, the new multi-million euro Mungard Community College has welcomed its first students. First year and sixth year students have been getting their first taste of the new school, which is located at a 10 acre greenfield site in Mungard. Mungard Community College's new school campus located for a thousand students and is the culmination of eight years of planning and development. Live 95's Nigel Dugdale compiled this limerick lives about the project. - Okay, so Georgia Callahan, a wonderful day for first years and six years here. You see the wide eyes coming in in the first years, but also the anticipation for an academic year for the six years. The opening of a school like this is a years of achievement. Tell me the background to this school and what's been achieved today? - Well, I suppose originally back when the concept of having a school out here was first mooted, we saw that the development in terms of housing and the need that would require a post-primary school. So in discussions with the department, we kind of devised a plan to establish a school here. And of course, that was a good while in the making. And eventually we reached a point where we had to, I suppose, open the school in the temporary classrooms and initially just over the fields from here and then begin the process of designing and building this new structure here. And of course, it's a fantastic day for everybody to see it, find the day finally dawn when people can come in and touch and feel and get used to the new building. But I think, you know, over the years, a building is important and a building is vital in terms of providing the structure and the fabric around a school. But I think it's the people, it's the students, it's the teachers that make a school. And Margaret Community College has been a very successful school in the temporary accommodation, which was in, and now will legally be looking forward to as much success in the new structure and in the new building as well. We often talk about future-proofing. We know that this area is going to be a brand new community with many, many people living here. This school will be at the heart of that. It'll educate the children, it'll provide employment. And in years to come, this place will be where everybody will talk about us, where the community started. - Yeah, that's true. I mean, we've built the school for 1,000 pupils. Originally, the concept was that with the school would be a 600 pupil unit. But it quickly became apparent that that wouldn't actually meet the needs of this community, its growing community. So it's now a school that's built for 1,000 pupils. And probably will reach, is nearly at capacity even as we speak. So therefore, and there is provision within the structure of the building for it to expand and for it to be, to accommodate more students, if necessary. So therefore, there is a lot of pre-planning and pre-thought gone into the fact that it needs to meet the needs of this growing community. And it will do so, both educationally and structurally as well. Now guys, year in, the new school for the first time. And it's your first year here as well. Six years are seeing a difference, but from you, what do you make of the school? - It's really nice, I love it, and it's really big. I'm really excited to just start. - And have you got a little tour so far this morning? - Yes, it was really lovely. - And what's your favourite part so far that you've seen of this brand new school in Emric? - The home economics room. - Why? - Because it seems really interesting and there's a lot of equipment. - Good idea. - Thank you very much. - We're absolutely brilliant. - Best to look for the next few years guys. - Lima Mahanei, principal of Munger Community College. - Liam, must be a really exciting day. We've seen the first years with wide eyes coming in this morning, but the six years as well. They've been through the ringer for the last few years as this comes to pass. Tell me the excitement and just the achievement that you've had today. - Yeah, sure. Look, as you can see, it's just an ideal. It's a fantastic day for our school. See the excitement of first years, but that's always the way when you're coming into school anyway. But it was important for us today to include our six years who have been with us for the last five years. And I suppose they're also honoring the Levenserts who've gone from those over the last previous two years well. And look at their travel day. It can't believe the facilities. They have now. We've always had a great culture of great education, good teachers and a lovely atmosphere and that whole inclusive culture. But now to have a building that we can wrap it at all inside. It's fantastic. At the end of the day, it's our school. But that hour includes our students and their voice is crucial here. Their parents are always involved in all decisions we make, our board manager and parent association, our amazing staff. And that's the only word if you saw this place, even only a week ago, it worked as gone in and the energy's gone in. And it's just, for me, that has been a joy to observe 'cause that's who the Irish people and that's what we wanna see and see that then reflected in the face of our students here this morning. Sure, you know, it's an honor to be a principal of a school like this. And as you said, the community piece is huge for us like all our students are local. They all virtually all walk to school, our cycle to school. And that's the way school should be. And we want to school to reflect the community we're in. It's in the Education Act and we could go into theory now for one night or the other, but we won't. But in the Education Act, one thing that's always stood out to me is, you know, the school should reflect the community we're in. And I would like to think that's what we do. And finally, of course, as usual, with six years coming back and first, just the sun is shining, the blue sky is out, but there's good omens for the school, if the future. Well, I can think of worst days to come to school for your first day and I just, and after someone who's been in noted weather for the last 12, 12 months, in particular, in the bad weather, we'll take us on a day of whether we've been building or not. It is just fantastic. And it's lovely to see people outside here enjoying their morning and enjoying each other's company. And it's not part of being who we are and go back to the world community again. It's now what it's about. And we have amazing staff, two deputy princes here in and Helen, she was like, "Goodness, we're better." I'm privileged to have the job I have. I love it and I love being here every day. - New school must be an incredible difference. Tell me what you've been asked before and what's it like now? - So we've come from Prefab, so obviously we've all been outside last separate room, so it's amazing having corridors and stairs and everything. Now it's a huge difference in school. - I want to put yourself getting into sixth year and being in a new school. I mean, obviously facilities like this will really help preparation. - Yeah, you know, like, it'll really like elevate our learning experience, you know. It'll be so much easier, especially because we're traveling inside, not traveling outside in the pouring rain. It'll be nice to have a break from Prefab all the time. - Now you've probably got a little tour this morning of the school. What do you make of it so far? - It looks incredible so far. It's nothing like what we had before. The facilities are brilliant. I think it'll give us really good opportunities. - What do you think of doing yourself? And, you know, do you think this new school is going to be a radical change for you? - I think it definitely will be, especially for practicals and everything. The new rooms will definitely make a huge difference to our learning and everything. - This episode of Limerick Live's focusing on the new multi-million euro-mongrit college was compiled by Live 95's Nigel Dogdale. - Your views, your news, your limerick today with Jonesh, on Live 95. (upbeat music) You