Gaelscoil will be cross community

The move is being called a "historic step" for the borough and bilingual education in the area. Gaelscoil Lim an Mhadaidh, is to be centrally located adjacent to the Church Street site of the current Irish pre-school Nascoil Lim an Mhadaidh. The Irish-Medium pre-school is to celebrate it's two year birthday in September meaning double celebrations for the new Irish facilities. Aodn Mac Shafraidh, Development Officer with Comhairle na Gaelscolaochta, the organisation assisting the development of the Gaelscoil, described the opening of the primary school will benefit children greatly in the area.

Aodn said: "This is an historic step forward for bilingual education in the Limavady area. Local children will now have the opportunity to benefit from the very many advantages of bilingual education, which has been shown by educational research to give children a real educational edge, not only with language, but across the spectrum of their formal education and development."

He continued: "Research undertaken recently by Queen's University educational psychologists has shown that children educated in two languages significantly outperform children with one language in a wide range of memory based tests that are central to children's education" explained Mr Mac Shafraidh.

"Other research has shown that children educated in this way frequently finish primary school with superior English Language skills compared to children with only English."

Lee Devine, a member of the Gaelscoil founding committee said parents or children did not need to have knowledge of the Irish language prior to enrolment.

Mr Devine said: "This is a great new direction in education for children in Limavady. The committee has been working hard over the last few months to ensure the establishment of the new school in September."

"We have received a great deal of support for the Nascoil over the last two years and this is now an outstanding success. Parents now want to take the next logical step by establishing a Gaelscoil.

Lee continued: "This school will be a cross community school and will be open to all children. We are now enrolling children for September but places are limited as small class sizes are an important factor in Irish-Medium schools. The good news for parents is that we will also accept children not previously enrolled in the Nascoil. Parents do not need to have knowledge of Irish to enrol their children."

Any parents wishing to enrol at the Gaelscoil should get in contact with Lee Devine on 07870 203993 or Charmaine on 07835 032446.