Principal's Message

On behalf of everyone in our School Community: pupils, teachers, staff, parents, members of the Board of Management and the Parents’ Council, I welcome you to our new school website. I hope you find it most enjoyable and informative. 

It is my very great privilege to serve as Principal of St. Patrick’s N.S. Clogh. Developing the whole child in a safe and happy environment is of huge importance to us and underpins our work with your child in St. Patrick’s N.S. Our school creed, a corner stone of our school ethos states: 

“Let us be cheerful:

quick to smile,

quick to lend a helping hand.

May the hum of happiness fill each room

and flood the playground with laughter.” 

This creed, written by our former colleague Michael Massey, reflects the culture of our school.  

The parents in St. Patrick’s N.S. Clogh have been an invaluable resource over the years and we very much appreciate the immense contribution of the members of successive Boards of Management and Parents’ Councils.  

I would like to thank you for visiting our website. I hope it has given you a sense of our happy, caring community, characterised by the vitality and enthusiasm of our students and staff and the strong support of parents.  

If you are considering sending your child to our school, or working with us, I hope the website gives you all the information you need about our school and I look forward to meeting you in person in the future.

Le gach dea- ghuí,

Margaret Keane

 

Ethos

While the prevailing ethos is Roman Catholic, our school is inclusive and welcomes pupils of all traditions and faiths.

We aim to provide a secure and caring environment for our pupils where happiness and enhancement of self-esteem are of prime importance.

All our children will be encouraged to BE THE BEST THAT THEY CAN BE, physically, socially, aesthetically, emotionally and spiritually and to develop a strong sense of personal and moral responsibility.

We hope that our children will leave this school as confident, caring individuals capable of making a worthwhile contribution to society.

DEIS - Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools 

Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS), the Action Plan for Educational Inclusion, is the Department of Education and Skills action plan to address educational disadvantage.

Main Aims:

  • Improve DEIS Pupil Retention rates
  • Improve DEIS Attendance rates
  • Increase DEIS Literacy Rates
  • Increase DEIS Numeracy Rates
  • Focus on Curriculum Professional Development
  • Maintain the Transition to Primary and Second-level Education
  • Increase Parental Engagement
  • Improve Links with other agencies, schools and organisations
  • Improve Wellbeing
  • Focus on Leadership and Learning

School Crest

In 1994 to celebrate the new build, the school held a competition amongst pupils for the design of a school logo. The winning entry was designed by Claire Phelan.

The crest is divided into 4 sections with the school name across the top bar.

  1.  Top Section: A book and pencil representing knowledge and learning
  2. Middle Right: A shamrock representing St. Patrick and the symbol for Ireland
  3. Bottom Section: A castle from which Clogh derives its name
  4. Middle Left: A miner’s hat representing the long association the area has had with coal mining

Staff

Principal: Margaret Keane

Deputy Principal: Anne-Marie Cullinan

 

Teachers:                   

  • Margaret Keane
  • Anne-Marie Cullinan
  • Claire Aylward
  • Aisling Bryan
  • Caitriona Stackpoole
  • Aoife Byrne (shared SET)
  • Margaret Patterson (EAL teacher)

SNA: Carmel Doyle

Secretary: Sheila Lawlor

Caretaker/Cleaner: Mary Dormer

Board of Management

The Board of Management has a legal responsibility for the overall running of the school.

The primary objective of the Board is to ensure that the school is managed in a manner that provides all of its pupils with the best possible education.

It serves a term of four years and a new Board was formed in November 2019.

The members of the current board are:

  • Anne Breen (Chairperson)                
  • Margaret Keane (Secretary)                      
  • Mary Hosey                  
  • Aisling Byran
  • Christy Kelly
  • Kathleen Power  
  • Billy Love
  • Bridget Kelly

Parents Council

The Parents’ Council is the structure through which parents/guardians in a school can work together for the best possible education for their children.

All parents and guardians of children enrolled in the school are invited to be part of our Parents’ Council.

We appreciate the contribution the Parents’ Council has made to the school, both in terms of fundraising, End of Year Fun Days, the annual August school grounds clean up to name but a few.

The current officers of the Parents’ Council are:

  • Kathleen Phelan – Chairperson
  • Katie Phillips – Secretary
  • Jane Parr – Treasurer
  • Roisin Phillips – Assistant Treasurer

Clogh N.S. Parents’ Council has a Facebook page. See the link here or click the facebook logo at the bottom of every website page.

Drone flight over School

Here is a quick drone video of St. Patrick's NS. You will see our facilities like never before set into the beautiful Kilkenny countryside. Bear in mind the schools footprint will only increase following the planned future extension.

Past & present

St. Patrick’s N.S is a rural school situated just outside the village of Clogh, in North Kilkenny. The school was built in 1994, replacing an older school which was built in 1915 and is now the Parish Centre.

The 1994 school building has three classrooms, a GP room and extensive grounds. We have a large tarmac playground with basketball court and ball wall area to practice our skills and a large pitch for football, soccer and hurling to name a few during better weather!
Picture is of old school classroom, with Mr Walsh (retired 2018).

Our School Creed

Our School Creed was written by our former colleague Michael Massey (RIP) in 1994.

This is our school,

set among God’s green fields.

 

Within these walls let love live:

love of God,

love of each other,

love of life itself.

 

Let us be careful:

quick to smile,

quick to lend the helping hand.

May the hum of happiness fill each room

and flood a playground with laughter.

 

Let us take our chance,

make a difference;

and let us remember

that the heart of this school

beats with all our hearts.