THE first interdenominational gaelscoil to be set up since the last century has just opened its doors in Wicklow town. At the moment there are 42 children in Gaelscoil Chill Mhantain, with two teachers presiding over each of the two classes.

As school policy documents make clear, the school will operate under a joint Catholic/Protestant ethos, acknowledging the unique contribution of both traditions and their denominational expressions in Irish life.

The school's ethos evolved from the make-up and wishes of its founding committee, explains Tom Munnelly, committee chairperson. A number of Catholics and a number of Protestants in the area wanted to set up a gaelscoil for their children - the nearest gaelscoil is in Bray, about 20 miles away. The parents, he says, also wanted their school to reflect the religious differences of the area.

The parents first came together at a public meeting in January. A 5-member committee was elected. Twenty per cent of those elected were Protestant. The group discussed what they wanted in a school and they agreed to work towards setting up such a school.

Gaelscoil Chill Mhantain, according to school policy, will "embrace and encourage education through the medium of the Irish language, and develop a love and respect for our country, our culture and our heritage.

"We will have both Catholics and Protestants teaching in the school," says Tom Munnelly. At the moment there are two teachers both of whom are Catholic.

However, their religion was not an issue for the committee when they considered the teachers' job applications, he says. Understanding, interpretation and support of the school's philosophy and ethos was the most important consideration he says, and all applicants were asked about it at interview.

"We didn't want a Catholic or a Protestant school and we didn't want a multi-denominational school," he says. "We wanted it to have a full religious education programme." The school will celebrate and embrace differences, he explains. Already two Jewish families have enrolled their children for future years, he says.

The school will also embrace the Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran and Baptist religions. Chaplains of these churches will be regular, welcome visitors.

The children will learn about religions, they will celebrate their own religious least days and holidays. The students will only be separated when preparing for the sacraments.

"We're highlighting the differences. It's very much a love-thy-neighbour situation," says Munnelly.

EVERY child will be involved in the celebration of each religious festival. Children will also visit churches of each faith. Breandan Mac Cormaic, chairman of Foras Patrunachta na Scoileanna Lan-Ghaeilge, which is the school's patron, says: "We see this as ecumenism from the grass roots, just as the all-Irish language school movement is from the grass roots."

The official school policy with regard to religious education is that "the full Catholic religious education programme will be taught to Catholic children and the full Protestant religious education programme will be taught to the Protestant children".

The policy document continues by saying that in recognition of the major similarities between both programmes, all children will, in the main, participate in religious education together and special care will be taken to explain differences in belief and worship patterns of the represented denominations.

The school itself is based in a former funeral home in Wicklow town. It currently holds a three-year lease on the premises. To date, there has been a huge response to the school and the committee is confident that there will be a big enough demand to take them through the next couple of years.