Madam, – Elaine Byrne, in her opinion piece in respect of Gaelscoil An Ghoirt Álainn in Cork (Opinion Analysis, October 20th), shows such disregard for balance, and demonstrates extreme selectivity and inaccuracy in relation to fact, that the piece may be described as a polemic rather than informed comment.
The article began by stating that the only public green space in the northeast of Cork city is the Tank Field. This is patently untrue. The site identified for the school comprises 2.5 acres of an 11-acre site. In so reporting, Dr Byrne was clearly relying on information supplied by one side of the debate only. Nobody among the broad spectrum of parents, teachers, politicians and, indeed, some neighbours in favour of the new building, was consulted. Nor were any of the factors in its favour canvassed. She neglects to mention that four of the five local councillors in the relevant ward voted in favour of this proposal at the planning stage.
The piece refers to the possible alternative siting of the Gaelscoil in the Mayfield Community School. This site was assessed and long since rejected by the Department of Education, on a number of grounds, including but not limited to child protection and welfare issues and health and safety concerns. Dr Byrne seeks to substitute her assessment of that proposal for that of others, almost certainly better qualified. Her fundamental misunderstanding of the geography of the area is further exposed by her statement that the school, if not placed in the community school, will not be built in Mayfield. This just does not make any sense. The Tank Field is in Mayfield. Gort Álainn is the Irish for Mayfield!
Other inaccuracies, in the areas of property law, planning law and just basic facts, lead one to believe that Dr Byrne has created a narrative to suit an agenda. Unfortunately facts often unhappily get in the way of narratives and, as such, are ignored. Journalism, and even opinion pieces, however, demand a balanced appraisal of facts with appropriate and considered conclusions.
This imprecision is compounded by the groundless slur intimating that the planning process was abused. Nothing was advanced in its support but for a suspicion on the part of those disappointed with the decision.
Segregation is a word that carries much baggage and evokes images of intolerance from other countries and, indeed, from this island. The use of this term in relation to a school of 290 students drawn from diverse backgrounds is pejorative, inaccurate and improper.
What Dr Byrne omitted to mention is that our school, as well as being a Gaelscoil, is the only multidenominational school in the area. As well as this, it is a non-fee-paying, co-educational, Irish-language school. It welcomes all who wish to educate their children in this ethos. No child has ever been refused entry to the school. It does not discriminate or segregate. Dr Byrne omitted these vital facts from her piece. The school conducts its classes in Irish, one of our two national languages recognised by the Constitution. It is unique in the area for all of these reasons.
Dr Byrne alludes to the presence of posters against the school development throughout Cork’s Northside, from Patrick’s Bridge to Montenotte. The only posters all too starkly witnessed by parents and children are in the immediate vicinity of the school.
Despite the impression given by the piece, this school has existed since 1993. In fact, it pre-dates schools also mentioned in the article. To suggest that the opinions of other schools should be canvassed in an application for a permanent building for an existing school lacks credibility. The school is currently located in a group of dilapidated buildings adjacent to the proposed new site. It was formed, and is maintained, by a group of parents and teachers who are enthusiastically behind the linguistic and spiritual ethos of the school. They are equally behind the building of the new school for the benefit of the children currently in the school and for those yet to come.
Interestingly, nowhere in her piece does the Dr Byrne refer to the children in the school, 75 per cent of whom live within a 1.5km radius thereof. Many reside in the “ten roads” beside the school referred to specifically by Dr Byrne.
One wonders why she found it unnecessary to talk to the children or their families. One wonders why a visit to the school was not made. Perhaps Dr Byrne might then have written of the appalling physical conditions in which children are being educated in post-boom Ireland. Perhaps she would have written of the spirit of inclusion in Gaelscoil An Ghoirt Álainn, of the diversity and innovation, of the possibilities for tolerance for children irrespective of their background. She chose not to.
The school is a success by reason of its positive contribution as opposed to arbitrary exclusion. It is not responsible for any purported lack of success of other schools in the area.
It is also too important to the children and the local area to be an ill-researched footnote to a flawed socio-political theory. – Yours, etc,