Stair na Scoile
Bunaíodh Scoil Oilibhéir sa bhliain 1975 tar éis do ghrúpa tuismitheoirí, ar theastaigh oideachas tré mheán na Gaeilge dá bpáistí uathu, teacht le chéile chun an t-éileamh dá leithéid a mheas agus chun spéis sa tuairim a mhúscailt i measc mhuintir an cheantair. Bhí 16 páiste agus múinteoir amháin ann ar an gcéad lá agus lean an scoil ag fás ó bhliain go bliain. Anois tá os cionn 260 páiste sa scoil agus tá 14 múinteoir againn, beirt Chúntóirí na Riachtanas Speisialta, Rúnaí agus Airíoch. Bhí Oilibhéar Pluincéad Beannaithe le naomhú sa Róimh níos déanaí an bhliain sin agus mar sin roghnaíodh Scoil Oilibhéir mar ainm ar Ghaelscoil nua Bhaile Bhlainséir. Bhíomar lonnaithe sa tSeancheardscoil sa sráidbhaile sna blianta tosaigh. Chaitheamar bliain freisin i bPobalscoil Bhaile an Bhlácaigh. Agus, ar deireadh, sa bhliain 1982 bhogamar isteach inár scoil féin sa Chúil Mhín. Tá breis is míle páiste tar éis freastal ar an scoil ó shin, agus anois tá an dara glúin ag teacht chugainn. Is gearr go mbeidh bunús Gaeltachta againn le cúnamh Dé.
We began back in 1975, thanks to a group of very motivated parents who wanted their children to receive their education through Irish. They lobbied hard for the project and persuaded others to give the idea a try, and with 16 pupils and one teacher, we opened our doors in July of that year. Today we have over 260 pupils, 16 teachers, 2 Special Needs Assistants, one Secretary and 1 Caretaker. Blessed Oliver Plunkett was to be canonised in Rome later that year, hence the name Scoil Oilibhéir. We spent our early years in the old Technical School on the Main Street, then we decamped to Blakestown Community School during the construction phase. Finally, in September 1982, we moved into our new premises at Coolmine. Over a thousand pupils have passed through our doors in the intervening years, and we are now seeing the second generation. Maybe Blanchardstown will boast of Gaeltacht status some day soon.
We began back in 1975, thanks to a group of very motivated parents who wanted their children to receive their education through Irish. They lobbied hard for the project and persuaded others to give the idea a try, and with 16 pupils and one teacher, we opened our doors in July of that year. Today we have over 260 pupils, 16 teachers, 2 Special Needs Assistants, one Secretary and 1 Caretaker. Blessed Oliver Plunkett was to be canonised in Rome later that year, hence the name Scoil Oilibhéir. We spent our early years in the old Technical School on the Main Street, then we decamped to Blakestown Community School during the construction phase. Finally, in September 1982, we moved into our new premises at Coolmine. Over a thousand pupils have passed through our doors in the intervening years, and we are now seeing the second generation. Maybe Blanchardstown will boast of Gaeltacht status some day soon.
