By Joe McCabe

FOLLOWING Mass celebrated by Bishop Joseph Duffy, Bishop of Clogher, The Minister for Children, Brendan Smith, TD, officially opened the new and refurbished buildings in The Patrician High School.

The new building provides the school with an impressive sports hall, new science laboratories, subject specialist rooms, a computer suite, a new canteen, a new staff room, a fully refurbished library and new general purpose classrooms.

Speaking to students, teachers, parents, local representatives and many distinguished guests, Minister Smith spoke of the long, proud tradition of the school in Carrickmacross. The Patrician High School has served the educational needs of generations of students from Counties Monaghan, Louth and Meath since its foundation in 1902.

Addressing the assembly in the new sports hall the Minister said that he was confident that the exceptional, state of the art buildings would stand as a physical symbol of the bright future of the whole school community.

Minister Smith emphasised the continuing commitment of the Government to investment in school buildings. A total of €4.5 billion is due to be spent under the National Development Plan. The Minister said that he was particularly pleased that The Patrician High School had been allocated a total of €5 million for its building project and that, henceforth, the students would be educated in such comfortable and stimulating surroundings.

Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan/Monaghan, Deputy Margaret Conlon, also welcomed the re opening of the new and refurbished buildings.

Speaking after the official opening ceremony, she said: “I want to wish the staff and students at The Patrician High School all the very best in their new school building, which includes an impressive sports hall, new science laboratories, subject specialist rooms, a computer suite, a new canteen, a new staff room, a refurbished library, and new, general purpose classrooms.

“This significant investment in the school will ensure that its students are educated in comfortable, state-of-the art facilities for some years to come.”