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History
The Vocational Education Act of
1930 stimulated the growth of technical education
throughout the country. Mr. P.B. Walsh, Rural Science
Teacher, under the Vocational Education Committee at
Hacketstown, approached a Mr. Roche who was prepared to
sell his interest in one statute acre from his farm on
the main Hacketstown/Tinahely road for the sum of £40.
All was now ready for contracts
to be tendered. By December 1936, the contract for the
building of the school was signed between the County
Carlow Vocational Education Committee and Mr. Samuel
Phillips, 2, Ormond Road, Drumcondra, Dublin. The cost
of the building was to be £1,900. The late Bill Kelly of
Hacketstown was employed by Mr. Phillips in the building
of the school. Bill later applied for the post of
Caretaker and took up his duties in October 1937.
Science, Woodwork and Domestic Science were offered to
an enrolment of thirty students. The first Headmaster of
the school was a Mr. W.J. Mc Fadden.
Between the years 1946 and 1949,
Mr. Bartley Folan and Miss Evelyn B. Keegan served as
teachers in charge. Mr. H. Finlayson commenced teaching
in the school in 1948 and was appointed Headmaster in
1949. During his term as Headmaster the Day Vocational
Certificate Examination (Group Certificate) was
introduced in Hacketstown.
The late Mr. Jack Fitzgerald
replaced Mr. Finlayson in 1953 and served as Princpal
until his death in June 1987. Mrs. J. Connolly of
Clonmore also commenced teaching in Hacketstown in 1953.
During Mr. Fitzgerald’s years as Principal, many
developments took place in the school. Because of the
growth in numbers a new school was built in 1967 with
six classrooms. It was occupied on 3rd September 1968.
That year also saw the first Intermediate Certificate
Examination being held in Hacketstown.
In 1981 the Leaving
Certificate was introduced and that year also saw the
acquisition of a sports field which greatly enhanced the
school facilities. It meant that the students could then
compete more successfully in sports such as Camogie,
Gaelic, Hurling, Football and Athletics. Success in the
County Sports over the years is evidence of this.
Mr. Larry Kavanagh
succeeded Mr. Jack Fitzgerald as Principal in 1987. The
school under his diligent guidance grew from strength to
strength. A very successful Adult and continuing
education course commenced in 1988 and night class
programmes have been in operation since then also.
The school grew from six to ten
classrooms The Transition Year Programme was introduced
in 1994. A year later saw the inclusion of the Leaving
Certificate Vocational Programme on the curriculum.
The staff, parents and
Co. Carlow VEC began planning for the provision of new
educational facilities in the early 1990’s. The plans
became a reality with the construction and fitting out
of a new extension and refurbishment of the buildings
during 2000 – 2001. A new sate-of-the-art PE Hall was completed in
Spring 2005. This has greatly enhance the sporting
provisions of the school. |
