In September 1986 Gael Scoil Ultain opened its doors in Monaghan Town with 23 pupils, 25 years on and Gael Scoil Ultain has 240 pupils on its roll book. Gael Scoil Ultain will also benefit from a new school building as part of a 35 Million Euro investment in an education campus at the old army barracks site on the Middletown Road outside Monaghan.
Gael Scoil Ultain was the dream of Brendan O' Duffy, a young Irish speaker from County Monaghan. For the first two years of its existence Gael Scoil Ultain was not recognised by the Department of Education and was accommodated as a stream within the CBS on the Clones Road in Monaghan Town, thanks to the openness of the CBS Headmaster, former GAA supremo Sean Mc Cague.
Funding for Gael Scoil Ultain for the first two years of its existence came from Vincent Mc Kenna, who was a sponsored runner in a number of Dublin City Marathons to raise the much needed cash for Gael Scoil Ultain. Vincent Mc Kenna also raised much needed funds for the CBS as a way of saying thanks for the help and support of Sean Mc Cague.
Vincent Mc Kenna was one of a small group of parents who wanted their children to learn Irish on an equal power with the English Language. Mc Kenna would some years later introduce a bi-lingual policy at Queens University in Belfast when he studied there as a mature student.
The Irish Observer would like to wish Gael Scoil Ultain every success on celebrating their 25 years of delivering the highest standards in education and making an historic contribution to the survival of our native tongue.
The main event of the celebrations was a Dinner Dance in the Hillgrove Hotel, Monaghan Town, 5th June 2011. Celebrations will continue and all are welcome to support the various events that have been organised.
