A SMALL North Conamara national school is on target to retain its second teacher for the new school year in September after offering financial incentives to families from outside the area to enrol their children there.

Scoil Naomh Pádraig, An Chloch Bhreac, near Clonbur, had been faced with the prospect of having only four children enrolled for the coming school year – seven short of the required 11 figure needed to hold onto their second teacher.

However, teachers, school committee members, parents and local people got together earlier this year to fundraise in order to provide a bursary of €2,000 – spread out over four payments – for families from outside the Chloch Bhreac area who would send their children to the school.

This week, school committee member, Patrick Curran, told the Connacht Tribune that thankfully they were now well on target to meeting the 11-pupil second teacher requirement for September.

“The 2025-2026 school year was really our problem year, as after that, there are a number of local families with young children who will be enrolling.

“But it would be such a pity to lose one of our teachers before these children start to increase the numbers again at the school.

“It is an Irish speaking school with was built in the mid-1960s but the old school dates back to the late 1800s. All of us are very conscious of the need to maintain numbers at the school and to keep our teachers.

“These small rural schools are a real hub for the local community and offer a really good education to the children attending,” said Patrick Curran.

He said that for this coming September, they had also planned to provide an after-school facility from 2.30 to 5.30pm to facilitate parents who were at work.

“It’s a case of so-far, so-good. We’re confident of hitting our target and a special thanks to everyone who helped out with our fund raising efforts which included a sponsored cycle earlier this year,” added Patrick Curran.

He said that when he went to school there in the late 1980s, the pupil numbers had hit the mid-30s mark but that figure had dropped over the years.

“In terms of the local population and young families setting up home in the area, all the signals are very positive for the coming years. We just have to get over ‘the hump’ this September,” said Patrick Curran.

Scoil Naomh Pádraig, An Chloch Bhreac, is nestled between Lough Mask and Lough Corrib, about three-miles from Clonbur village and five from Cong.

Over recent months, the Minister for Education, Helen McEntee, outlined her support and commitment to ensure the survival of smaller rural schools across the country.

On target: Scoil Naomh Pádraig.