A Dublin school which did not have funds to pay for a much-needed paint job has been given a make-over by 300 international volunteers.
The Christ the King School in Cabra, north Dublin, was transformed within three hours by the senior bankers who took time out from a conference to wield paintbrushes and rollers as part of a corporate team building event with a difference.
Children at the school returned late last week from a sporting outing to find their surroundings were spruced up by Citigroup employees from around the world, who painted jolly murals in classrooms as well as giving the entire exterior of the school a once-over with cream and white paint.
"The kids were totally blown away by it," said the principal of the senior girls' school, Ms Annemarie Hogan. "It was magic. They descended on us and it was like Martians landing because they were all given white overalls and hats."
Ms Hogan said the large 1930s building was last painted 10 years ago but the school's budget did not extend to a paint job, and the Department of Education and Science does not offer specific funding for such building maintenance.
She estimated the work would have cost the school €10,000 and would have taken a contractor a month to complete.
Instead, Citigroup supplied all the paint and materials, including "cherry-pickers", to complete the job.
"It was only three hours out of their lives but it made such a difference to ours," she added.
The project was facilitated by Volunteering Ireland, which "matches" volunteers to people who need voluntary work provided. The bankers worked in teams headed by professional painters, and were even taught songs to sing as they worked. When their work was completed, they were treated to songs and dances by pupils in the school yard.
Ms Tara O'Byrne from Citigroup said the volunteers really enjoyed the day and their contribution to a worthy cause.