‘Family ethos at heart of the teaching’
Parents have told of their high respect for both Aghavilly and Keady Primary Schools – and the deep sense of sadness surrounding the closures.
Rodney Wilson, a part-time farmer and insurance agent, has one son at Keady Primary and is chairman of the board of governors.
“I was one of the first pupils at Keady Primary in the 1970s,” he said.
“There were over 100 pupils at that time. It was my first school and holds a lot of memories for me so I was pleased my next generation could attend it too.
“I went through here and went on to grammar school, as did my first two children. It is one big happy family but it comes to the point where it is a matter of financial viability. Obviously we will have a bit more travelling to alternative schools, but we believe new opportunities will open up.”
Catriona Curry has a boy in primary two at Keady.
“The nearest school will be Armagh or Newtownhamilton, seven to eight miles away, but we live in Keady,” she said.
“We will have to look into whether the board will allow us transport.
“The school will be really missed in the community. It suits the rural area around here – there are no other schools in town. It is sad for the minority and for the children. They have all grown up together and get on so well.”
Mimoza Shore, an Albanian lady who has lived in Northern Ireland for 10 years, is also sad to see Keady close.
“This is a good school, my other two children have already been through it and are now at college and high school,” she said.
“I would like our third child to have finished their education here. It is like a warm family. I have been very happy with it and I can talk with them at any time. It is so sad it is closing. Now we will have to find another school.”
Joe McCarragher has two children at Aghavilly and was a pupil there himself in the 1970s.
“I have many happy memories of the school and find it very sad to think that a school that has provided over 100 years of education, survived tough economic times and the Troubles, is now being closed,” he said.
“It is the centre of our local community. If they continue to close all the rural schools, where will the next generation of rural children go?”
Ivor Broomfield’s children are the fourth generation to attend Aghavilly.
“They are developing as happy, confident young people,” he said. “The sense of family and community within the school will definitely be missed.”
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 12 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South
