Bunscoil Rinn an Chabhlaigh

Rushbrooke, Cobh, Co. Cork

History

Bunscoil Rinn an Chabhlaigh was founded by the Mercy Sisters in 1860 on the grounds of Rushbrooke Convent, adjacent to the Convent Farm.  At that time it was located on a quiet country road and consisted of a 2 classroom building.

The school began to expand in the early 1950’s and the original school was knocked and a new 3 classroom school built. It was expanded by two classrooms in 1960 and in 1970 the first pre-fab was added.  In 1979 a new 6 extension was added which consisted of classrooms, a PE Hall, Staff Room, 2 Multi-purpose rooms and an office.  There were 14 Teachers and 360 children in the school in 1997.

The local population began to grow rapidly following a building boom in the Rushbrooke area in the early 2000s.  Today there are 50 teachers, 14 Ancilliary Staff (Secretaries, Caretaker and 10 SNAs) to meet the needs of 730+ children.

The DES was first asked by the BOM to consider providing a new school in 1999 because of the forecasted population boom.  A Design Team was appointed in 2000 and plans were drawn up for a 7 classroom extension.  This was never built and new plans were ordered in 2002 for a larger extension.  Further reconsideration was made by the DES in 2005 and a new set of extension and refurbishment of the existing 1980s block was ordered.

Finally, in 2008, it was decided that the school required a new building to house 24 Mainstream Classes and 2 ASD Special Classes.

The new building finally started in June of 2011 and was completed in June 2012.  We moved in for the September 2012 school year.

It is a beautiful school with bright spacious classrooms, halls, basketball courts, tennis courts, a school garden, multiple play areas, a library, a prayer room, accessible bathrooms, wheelchair friendly doors, resource rooms and so much more. Our 2 ASD classes  (Coiscéim) have expanded to 4 with a sensory room and state-of-the-art Occupational Therapy room.