Tag Archives: Parteen National School

PUPILS in a South-East Clare school jumped for joy last week after completing a marathon reading challenge totalling more than 1.3 million minutes. Children in Parteen National School were presented with an arduous challenge to read for a million minutes in just 21 weeks from November 3 to the end of March. This massive and unique challenge was a real test for the school as it equated to each of their 293 pupils reading for almost 3,500 minutes each. On Thursday, March 31, the children marked their success with a celebration day in the school where children, staff and parents literally jumped for joy in the sunshine and seized some much needed fun after the last few years of Covid-19 challenges and restrictions. This unique readathon began in November when the teachers at the school brainstormed how they could get their pupils to re-engage with reading after the challenges of lockdown and periods of school absence. Teachers wanted to get …

Pupils in Parteen National School have kicked off a new rugby project, with a public appeal for assistance in their fact-finding mission. They need help telling the life- stories of the 15 men who played on the Parteen rugby team more than a century ago. A good deal of the pupils’ work will focus on how conflicts drastically altered the lives of the rugby players. ‘United by Sport, Divided by War’ is the theme of the project. The men were united in their love for playing rugby in peacetime but war would ultimately tear their team apart and have a devastating impact on many of their lives. A project team, made up of 17 history-loving pupils and third-class teacher Cathal Crowe, meets after school on Monday to delve into the untold stories of the rugby players. School principal Ger Ruane described this project as a fantastic opportunity for the children. Mr Ruane thanked Mr Crowe for volunteering to do this in his free …

An intriguing link between a Parteen family and the Easter 1916 Rising has emerged, following the establishment of a small temporary museum in the local national school. Sixth-class teacher, Councillor Cathal Crowe has managed to unearth a few historical gems from the locality, as a result of the school’s appeal to assist children during their history studies. One local family donated a lamp belonging to an old motorcycle, which was used to carry urgent messages from the GPO garrisson during Easter Week to freedom-fighters in Wicklow. On one occasion, the motorcyclist crashed his vehicle, while travelling over the Wicklow Mountains on a mission to seek reinforcements from Wicklow to assist in the Rising. Leaving the bike behind, the motorcyclist, who is the great-great-grandfather of a local child, continued on his journey with the lamp. Other donations include pieces of old clothing, war medals and medals depicting military service. Jackie Whelan from the West Clare Railway donated iron, pins, nails and …

Sixth lass pupils at Parteen National School will host a special remembrance event tomorrow to mark the anniversary of Sergeant Edward Lynch and his brother Frank who both died in the Battle of La Bassée (France) during World War 1. Edward and Frank were both serving with the Royal Munster Fusiliers when they were killed in battle on December 21, 1914, just a few days before the famous Christmas Truce. Their older brother Michael also died during the war years (December 30th 1916) whilst posted at Bere Island, Cork with the Royal Irish Regiment. The sixth class pupils have been delving deep into Edward Lynch’s life and military career since their teacher, Cathal Crowe, purchased his death plaque on eBay several weeks ago. The death plaque, more commonly known as the “Widow’s Penny” was presented to families who lost loved ones during the First World War. The Lynch family tragically received three Widow’s Pennies and there is a possibility that …

Deputy Jan O’Sullivan will get the opportunity to officially open a major new extension and astro-turf pitch for a school she allocated funding to during her most recent stint as Education Minister. The role played by the Clonlara-born former Labour Minister for Education and Housing in securing funding for Parteen National School will be recognised, when she cuts the tape to officially open the new extension at the school next Friday at 11am. Deputy O’Sullivan said the new extension was badly needed, following the dramatic increase in the school-going population in recent years. “Parteen is a growing area and needed a bigger school. It was completed on time and within budget and the teachers, staff and pupils are very happy with their new building,” she added. The extension, which consists of three new classrooms and five resource rooms, was occupied before the end of the last academic year, much to the delight of students and staff members. The project also …