First day of school for everyone at Gaelscoil Lorgan!

The first day of school is always special, but Wednesday, August 26 marked a particularly significant milestone for Gaelscoil Lorgan as pupils, staff and families began the school year in their long-awaited new home on the Shercock Road outside Castleblayney.

For principal Michelle Uí Mhairtín, the move marks the culmination of nearly two decades of growth since the school first opened with just 24 pupils and two teachers.

"I've been here 17 years. The school opened 18 years ago and I'm the first principal that was appointed," she said.

Today, the school caters for 178 pupils and employs 17 staff members. Reflecting on the school's journey, Ms Uí Mhairtín paid tribute to the families who embraced Irish-medium education from the outset.

"Those families that sent their children here at the very beginning have to be admired. They had the dream that we had and believed in Irish medium education."

She also highlighted the wider impact of Gaelscoileanna across the county.

"The last census showed that Monaghan was the top county outside the Gaeltacht areas with Irish speakers. I believe that's because of the four Gaelscoileanna in the county."

While Irish remains central to the school's ethos, she said its appeal extends beyond language: "It's the culture, the sport and the music."

"We were in an old warehouse behind Lidl. We had no grass area at all and a very small yard," Ms Uí Mhairtín recalled.

Today, the school occupies a purpose-built campus with eight classrooms, a general-purpose hall and extensive outdoor facilities on a four-acre site. Still, she believes the people, rather than the building, are what make Gaelscoil Lorgan special.

That sense of achievement was shared by founder and Board of Management chairperson Brendan Ó Dufaigh, who reflected on the school's journey from a former furniture warehouse to a purpose-built campus: "When the school was opened in 2008, we really only had a fortnight. It was only okayed by the department on the 15th of August. It was a warehouse shop selling furniture, open plan, and within a fortnight we converted that to classrooms," he said.

Mr Ó Dufaigh said the campaign for a permanent home began almost immediately, though the recession and later rising construction costs delayed progress.

He paid tribute to all those who helped bring the project to fruition, including Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board, architects Oppermann Associates, particularly Michelle Sweeney, contractors CJ Callan Construction, and former landlords Michael McQuaid and Francie McGuigan, who accommodated the school during its years in temporary premises.

Looking beyond the building itself, he believes the development is another major step forward for Irish-medium education in Monaghan: "We're probably the envy of every county in Ireland because we have two new Gaelscoileanna in the county within the last two years," he said. He added: "If you improve infrastructure in a town, it helps everybody. It lifts the whole economy. It is a big day for the county, for the promotion of the Irish language and for education in the county."

For the pupils, the move has been worth the wait. Curious to know whether pupils really think through the language they use every day, this reporter put the question to fifth-class pupil Clara Ní Raghallaigh. Her answer came immediately: "When I'm in school, I think in Irish."

Clara added that she particularly enjoys the library, playground and extra space in the new school.

Fourth-class pupil Annie MacArdail, who previously attended an English-medium school, said: "I used to go to an English school, but I like the Gaelscoil way better."

Sixth-class pupil Gerard Ó Beagáin was delighted to finally see the move completed: "I'm really happy to be in the new school because it's nice and modern. It's very bright and there's loads of space."

He admitted he would not miss the old premises: "It was kind of cramped. It was in an industrial estate and we didn't have any grass."

For fellow sixth-class pupil Dáire Mac Dónaill, the school has fostered a deep pride in the Irish language: "I won the shield for Blayney with the Under-14s and I gave the speech in Irish because I'm so proud of the Irish language."

Fifth-class pupil Conall Mac Raois highlighted the outdoor facilities: "The school is very nice. It's bright and it has a basketball court, a yard and a field."

As Gaelscoil Lorgan begins a new chapter in its long-awaited home, its greatest achievement is not the new classrooms, library or playing fields, but the generation of young Irish speakers it has nurtured over the past 18 years.