Naíscoil Shliabh G Cuilinn

Irish language pre-school for 3-4 year old children, situated in Jonesborough, Co. Armagh

Naiscoil Shliabh gCuilinn opened in The Pastoral Centre, Jonesborough in December 2008. With funding received from Comhairle na Gaelscolaiochta and support from Iontabhas na Gaelscolaiochta, Naiscoil became a reality.

Staff Employed

Leader – Mairead O’Rourke

Deputy Leader – Gillian Casey

Assistants – Orla McNally / Anita Lavelle

All staff are qualified, trained and vetted to ensure a high standard of care and learning.

Naiscoil Shliabh gCuilinn currently employs 3 staff to deliver a session from 9am to 12: 00pm each day. Staff have been offered many training opportunities to develop their skills in pre-school education and also attend Irish Language training on an ongoing basis. The 121 support from Altram has also helped the Naiscoil to deliver a good quality education and service in a strong learning environment.

Key Funders

Pre-school Education Grants (PEAGs)

Local fundraising events

Iontabhas na Gaelscolaoichta

Aim of Naiscoil Shliabh gCuilinn

To provide a first class pre-school education

To deliver a high standard of pastoral care for every child

To adhere to Education Authority standards and guidelines

To promote the Irish Language locally

To provide staff with training and development opportunities

To provide a platform for Irish Language development in the local community

To raise the profile of the Irish language in local primary schools

Community Pre-School Provision Promoting the Irish Language

People in the local community now consider this to be an important and central part of the local education system. Feedback from parents has been positive and the standard of Irish taught is growing year on year. Children are leaving Naiscoil with a good basic level of Irish and it instils the initial interest in the language and culture for the children and their families.

The committee and the staff of are very proud to be offering this service in the South Armagh area and work closely with other Naiscoileanna. There is an excellent support network from others in the sector and this contact has been invaluable over the years. We have had ongoing contact with the Naiscoil and Bunscoil in Newry and with work closely with Jonesborough and Dromintee Primary schools.

Delivering Quality Pre-School Education

The Naiscoil committee and staff are delighted to report that following an inspection by the Department of Education in November 2013 the standard of education and learning has been deemed very good based on this external examination of all work carried out to date.

Naíscoil Committee
Chairperson: Eoin Banahan
Vice-Chair: Marcel Cunningham
Treasurer: Marian O’Rourke
Secretary: Marie McCoy
Fund-raising Officer: Ainé Smyth

Acknowledgement of Support

The Naiscoil committee would like to thank the various people and organisations who assisted in the early years of development. This includes the following:

Caítlin Conlon, Altram, Irish-medium sector support worker

Micí Walsh, Irish Language Officer, Newry and Mourne District Council

Antoin O Muireagain, Comhairle na Gaelscolaioctha

Mr Keenan and staff, Jonesborough Primary School

Mrs McKeown and staff, Dromintee Primary School

Dromintee GFC

The Pastoral Centre Committee

Funtime Afterschool staff

Naiscoileanna – An Chreagain, Camlocha, an Iuir

Bunscoil an Iuir

Local sponsors

Parents past and present