A new primary school will be situated on the grounds of All Hallows College in Drumcondra, as part of a €14 million deal with DCU.
DCU had provisionally agreed on a deal with All Hallows last June, but the sale was completed on April 8th. Although there were higher bids, DCU succeeded in buying the 6.74 hectare site as they promised to keep the educational values of the college.
“Retaining the educational ethos of the All Hallows site was a fundamental aspect of the sale agreement,” Dr Patrick McDevitt, President of All Hallows College said.
“It was of great importance to both All Hallows and DCU.”
DCU will keep all existing buildings on the site, in order to preserve the “character and history of All Hallows.”
The new primary school will open for the coming 2016/17 school year, according to Stephen Loftus of the Department of Education Press Office.
“We are satisfied that there is sufficient demand for the provision of a new primary school to serve this area,” he said.
The existing accommodation on the campus currently houses 100 students. There are plans to upgrade this and to develop additional accommodation units to meet the demands of a growing student body.
A range of academic schools and support units will be also established on the new campus. All existing All Hallows students will be able to complete their courses.
“The DCU All Hallows campus is an integral part of our vision for a new DCU,” DCU President Brian MacCraith said.
The 174-year-old college was put up for sale in 2014 because of controversial money problems relating to the sale of letters from Jackie Kennedy to a priest there. The letters were planned to sell for about €3m, but the sale was abandoned after the Vincentian Fathers asserted ownership over the letters.
Aoibheann Diver
Image Credit: The Journal
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