Bish and St. Mary's Amalgamating?

Lumi

Just curious but does anyone know if there is any truth to the rumour that the
Bish and St. Mary's Schools are going to amalgamate in two years time?

snubbleste

It's just a rumour

Lumi

It'd be an absolutely huge school if they do though.

Malice

That rumour has been doing the rounds since I was in school and that was a long time ago!

kayos

Huh? Dear lord I hope not.

Malice

kayos wrote: »

Huh? Dear lord I hope not.

Why?

kayos

Ah just a proud ex Bish student not wanting to see the schools go that way.

Any way Marys just got or are looking for planning permission for a retirement place on there lands I think. If they were to combine the schools Mary's have the land so that would be the logical site. But they would hardly be building a retirement home/village on a chunk of it if they had to expand the school side of it.

Malice

kayos wrote: »

Ah just a proud ex Bish student not wanting to see the schools go that way.

Any way Marys just got or are looking for planning permission for a retirement place on there lands I think. If they were to combine the schools Mary's have the land so that would be the logical site. But they would hardly be building a retirement home/village on a chunk of it if they had to expand the school side of it.

Ah that explains it . There was talk for years of the current Bish site being far too small for their needs and that they were going to sell it. Prime city centre real estate would have fetched a nice price a few years ago.

I can't see any other motivation other than money for it. I mean, it's not as if the schools are crying out for pupils is it?

Krieg

A rumour that has been circulating since the schools were built

Although Im sure the Bish will have to move house at some stage, there really is not room for expansion where they are.

I heard about the retirement home being build on St. Marys, what the hell are they thinking?

kayos

In terms of the Bish moving, yes it will move at some stage. There was ment to be a deal in place with NUIG or maybe it was UCG at the time where they were going to move out college grounds near Dangan I think it was. Dont know what happend there.

Lumi

kayos wrote: »

In terms of the Bish moving, yes it will move at some stage. There was ment to be a deal in place with NUIG or maybe it was UCG at the time where they were going to move out college grounds near Dangan I think it was. Dont know what happend there.

Local residents objected to the school being re-located to Dangan!! The person who originally told me seemed fairly sure that they were moving to Mary's in two years time but if the rumour has been circulating for years then it's probably just the same old story resurfacing

galvianlord

As another former student I would hate to see the two schools amalgamate. Each school has their separate traditions and ethos and it would be a shame to see so much history go that way...

The Bish were all set for a move to Dangan several years ago. The matter came to a vote of the Council and in a decision that will live in infamy, that wonderful representative and fount of all knowledge Catherine Connolly had the casting vote and chose to exercise it in the negative. This despite the entire Bish board of management, the Patrician Brothers, teachers, students, parents all wanted the move. In a further crushing sting her husband was teaching there! God knows what her motivation was...how she can cycle to wherever it she goes with a clear conscience is beyond me! She stifled the growth of a good school there which deserves top-notch facilites...

me...bitter much....nah!

Malice

Krieg wrote: »

I heard about the retirement home being build on St. Marys, what the hell are they thinking?

I must admit I hadn't heard about this. It's motivated by money no doubt. Old-folks homes are only going to get more prevalent as our population ages.

Lumi

galvianlord wrote: »

As another former student I would hate to see the two schools amalgamate. Each school has their separate traditions and ethos and it would be a shame to see so much history go that way...

The Bish were all set for a move to Dangan several years ago. The matter came to a vote of the Council and in a decision that will live in infamy, that wonderful representative and fount of all knowledge Catherine Connolly had the casting vote and chose to exercise it in the negative. This despite the entire Bish board of management, the Patrician Brothers, teachers, students, parents all wanted the move. In a further crushing sting her husband was teaching there! God knows what her motivation was...how she can cycle to wherever it she goes with a clear conscience is beyond me! She stifled the growth of a good school there which deserves top-notch facilites...

me...bitter much....nah!

Hear hear !! The Bish would have had the excellent facilities(and space) they deserve had the building of the new school gone ahead.

KevR

malice_ wrote: »

That rumour has been doing the rounds since I was in school and that was a long time ago!

Same rumour was doing the rounds when I was in school a few years back aswell.

gaeilgegrinds

A definite no! Both have very different plans for the future.

Sconsey

galvianlord wrote: »

The matter came to a vote of the Council and in a decision that will live in infamy, that wonderful representative and fount of all knowledge Catherine Connolly had the casting vote and chose to exercise it in the negative. This despite the entire Bish board of management, the Patrician Brothers, teachers, students, parents all wanted the move. In a further crushing sting her husband was teaching there! God knows what her motivation was...how she can cycle to wherever it she goes with a clear conscience is beyond me! She stifled the growth of a good school there which deserves top-notch facilites...

Lol..I know I'm going to get flame grilled for this post but so what?....that quote is classic Galway boards response to a planning refusal...have a go at the objector/planner/councilor. Why are you picking out Connolly, if she had the deciding vote then that implies that half the council would have already voted against...why aren't they being slagged off even though they are in the majority? As for the idea that it should have happened because the school and parents wanted it!! there are a lot of other considerations: local residents, traffic impact, etc.

Anyway, I can sense that none of you will agree, and I'm busy at work today so: I lose, you win

galvianlord

the impact would have been minimal. all pick ups and drops off would have been done on the grounds and not on the main road. its the residents obligation to object if they want. it doesnt necessarily make it the right decision. It was thought that there was more of a social reason for the vote, affluent western suburbs being used as a feeder area for the school, with access of suburbs on the eastern side of the side being curtailed. not a point most sane people would agree with but then again considering the political roots of the person concerned, no doubt it was a blow for the proletariat! nice work for a barrister!

leninbenjamin

it was the Pres when i first went there in 2000... then it became Dangan, now it's back to Mary's already?

kayos

leninbenjamin wrote: »

it was the Pres when i first went there in 2000... then it became Dangan, now it's back to Mary's already?

After the photo of 4 empty chairs in the gym captioned "Pres fan club full attendance" I doubt the Bish would have been popular in the Pres circles :P

galvianlord

Classic! You probably know about this but just in case:

http://oldgalwaypics.co.uk/oldschoolmagazines.aspx

Mrs OBumble

gaeilgegrinds wrote: »

A definite no! Both have very different plans for the future.

How many pupils does each have?

It's odd just how many secondary schools there are in Galway (and another recently announced for Doughiska too). Given the population, each must be quite small, which surely works against providing good quality education esp at senior level.

galvianlord

JustMary wrote: »

How many pupils does each have?

It's odd just how many secondary schools there are in Galway (and another recently announced for Doughiska too). Given the population, each must be quite small, which surely works against providing good quality education esp at senior level.

Wha...? Seriously?

kayos

JustMary wrote: »

How many pupils does each have?

It's odd just how many secondary schools there are in Galway (and another recently announced for Doughiska too). Given the population, each must be quite small, which surely works against providing good quality education esp at senior level.

Well back in my day in the bish, did the LC in 96 I think, we had about 150 (5 x ~30) in our year. Think it was about 650 or 700 in total. Dont know if you would consider that small to be honest.

Add to that the growing population I'm sure it could be bigger if space allowed. But then again the bish didnt have the space for lockers never mind more students.

galvianlord

you also have to consider the fact with the exception of 3 (?) public schools all are single sex-oriented....

GunScope

galvianlord wrote: »

..... The Bish were all set for a move to Dangan several years ago. The matter came to a vote of the Council and in a decision that will live in infamy, that wonderful representative and fount of all knowledge Catherine Connolly had the casting vote and chose to exercise it in the negative. This despite the entire Bish board of management, the Patrician Brothers, teachers, students, parents all wanted the move. In a further crushing sting her husband was teaching there! God knows what her motivation was...how she can cycle to wherever it she goes with a clear conscience is beyond me! She stifled the growth of a good school there which deserves top-notch facilites ...

+1

A proud ex-Bish student myself, and it would have been a great move if they got the ok to go to Dangan ..... Pity

kayos

galvianlord wrote: »

you also have to consider the fact with the exception of 3 (?) public schools all are single sex-oriented....

Enda's (went co-ed when I was back in school), Jes, Moneen and Fr Griff (if thats still a second level school). Dont forget Oranmore if you want to count that, I would as it always had a large % of city based students, is also co-ed.

cL0h

JustMary wrote: »

Given the population, each must be quite small, which surely works against providing good quality education esp at senior level.

I believe the opposite is true actually. Smaller schools are a better experience for kids growing up.

Mrs OBumble

cL0h wrote: »

I believe the opposite is true actually. Smaller schools are a better experience for kids growing up.

Not if the school is so small that the number of senior students who want to do particular subjects is so small that the school cannot offer them.

Also, if schools are large enough, the majority of teachers can be employed full time, and thus are more committed to the students they are teaching. Part-time teachers just do their hours and very little else, so aren't able to show the same levels of commitment.

kayos

JustMary wrote: »

Also, if schools are large enough, the majority of teachers can be employed full time, and thus are more committed to the students they are teaching. Part-time teachers just do their hours and very little else, so aren't able to show the same levels of commitment.

I call BS.

My OH is a Part Timer as you would like to call them and I can promise you she does a hell of a lot more work than just her hours. She’s busy nearly every evening doing work for her classes. Maybe she is the exception to the rule but other sub teachers I know are the same. They are fighting to try and get a full time job so need to impress.

gaeilgegrinds

Agreed, part-time teachers in our school seem to work the same as the others to prove themselves. I've nothing to gain by saying that because I'm no longer part-time but honestly they work much harder in my opinion and experience.