Our College was originally designed to cater for a student population of 450 and a staff of 40. The school now has approximately 840 students and a staff of 80 and despite recent developments and improvements we have outgrown our capacity to support all of our students as comfortably as we would like. The Parents’ Council, teaching staff and pupils have campaigned for increased social spaces, dining facilities and lockers for the pupils and staff over a number of years.
In May 2019 the school management team of Principal Mark O’Brien and the Deputy Principals Aidan O’Brien and PJ Walsh initiated a meeting of some former pupils. The result was the formation of a Past Pupils Union (PPU). One of the aims of the PPU is to have a clear plan for a major capital project. The Capital Project Committee has a plan which will increase and enhance the social/dining facilities for all the college’s students. The estimated cost of phase (a) for this capital project is €200,000. The first phase (a) will start, subject to planning, in June and the Assembly Hall should be completed in time for the return of students in September.
The Capital Project Committee’s ambition is broken into three phases:
- Build an extension to the Assembly Hall – increasing student social space and dining facilities.
- Provide furniture and fittings along with the necessary equipment for this new space.
- Build a new Staff Room.
We are holding a monster draw with 15 prizes to the value of almost €40,000 including a Kia Picanto car and a Caribbean Cruise, all kindly donated by past pupils and local businesses. Tickets are now on sale and the draw will take place at our “Summer Supper” social evening on May 15th in the Brandon House Hotel. We have been blown away by the support of past pupils and local business and the full list of prizes includes:
- A car worth €16k donated by the Boland brothers. (Hertz and Wexford Car Centre)
- A Caribbean Cruise, Flights and 2 nights in Miami in January 2021 donated by a group of alumni base in the USA. Coordinated by John Murphy and worth over $10k.
- Mac book Air worth €1,300 donated by Triangle Computers who have connections in the College.
- 1 Weeks rental of 3 bed holiday home in Enniscorthy worth €1000 from Oliver Doyle, based in Canada who attended the College in the mid 1950’s.
- €700 cash from Hugh Doyle, now based in Canada from Gorey originally.
- Breakfast with Tadgh Furlong, Kevin Doyle and Shane Foley – all past pupils.
- €500 Husqvarna voucher donated by James O’Rourke.
- 128gb Apple Ipad worth €500 from Triangle .
- 128gb Apple Ipad worth €500 from Triangle again.
- 128gb Apple Ipad worth €500 from Triangle again.
- Back to school package worth €375 from Treasury, Ray Lawlors and Hanrahans.
- Seiko Quartz mens watch worth €300 from Brooks Jewellers
- Apple TV worth €200 donated by Exertis.
- €150 Glanbia voucher.
- €75 Lu Lu Boutique voucher donated by Louise Buckley.
2 sellers prizes, exclusively for GCC families/students:
- Prize 1 – 128GB iPad worth €500 for those who sell any
- Prize 2 – 64GB iPhone 11 worth approximately €1,000 for those who sell 4 or more books of tickets.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all in advance for your generous support of this most worthwhile project which will benefit all of our students in the immediate future and for many years to come. Below we have links to those who have generously supported this ambitious project.
