The clouds parted, the rain stopped and the sun shone just enough at the ‘sod turning’ ceremony on the 1st December at the new 5.2 acre site in Co. Wicklow that will finally be home to our wonderful purpose built new home. Tanaiste Simon Harris joined school staff, pupils, families and supporters alongside local dignitaries and public representatives to break ground on the new site. And it certainly was ground breaking! There was a fantastic turn out and the excitement was palpable that this day has finally arrived after many years of work put in by the planners, the builders, the fundraisers, the patron, the Boards of Management, the families, the staff, past and present, to make this dream of a new school into a reality.
This year, St Catherine’s Special School celebrated its 50th birthday. Fifty years of love, dedication, perseverance, and magic. And today, we mark that milestone not only by looking back with pride, but by stepping forward into a future filled with possibility. What a birthday gift this is: a new home. A home worthy of the extraordinary people who fill it.
As so many of you know, St Catherine’s is not just a school — it is a deeply special place. You feel its warmth the moment you walk through the door. You feel the passion of the staff, the courage of the pupils, and the unwavering belief that every child deserves to flourish. For decades, that magic has thrived, even in the most challenging of conditions: small, cramped classrooms, leaky cold portacabins, narrow corridors, and all the daily obstacles we faced together.
So just imagine, for a moment, the magic that will grow within the new walls. Imagine the joy and confidence that will bloom in spaces designed with our pupils in mind.
Today’s ceremony was not just a new beginning. It is a promise. A promise that our children will have the very best — the best environment, the best opportunities, and the best chance to shine exactly as they are.
I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude and pride. How fortunate am I to become principal at a time when our school — this extraordinary community — is beginning a brand new chapter in a beautiful, purpose-built home crafted especially for the children who inspire us every single day. We look forward coming together again to celebrate it’s opening in 18 months.