Fainche Ni Fhatharta, Seosaimhin Ni Chonghaile, Adrian O Coincheanainn and Seosamh O Fatharta aren't used to being the centre of attention. Barely teenagers, they certainly wouldn't regard themselves as making "history". Yet they will do just that next month when they enrol as pupils in Inis Meain's first post-primary school.
Colaiste Naomh Eoin is its name and it was opened "unofficially" on the island in Galway Bay yesterday morning. The island's parents are determined to make it work as most of them had to leave for boarding school when they finished primary level.
Ms Brid O Coincheanainn, mother of Adrian, remembers the trauma of being sent to the Convent of Mercy in Galway. "It wasn't Monday to Friday boarding. I remember the first time I got home after term started was at Christmas."
She had considered keeping her son back for a year after finishing sixth class. "Adrian would have been ready for secondary, yes, but he wouldn't have been ready for leaving home."
Ms Mairin NI Chonghaile would have had to quit her native Inis Meain if Seosaimhin, her only child, had to attend school on the mainland. As a single parent, it wouldn't have been practical for her to stay. Colaiste Naomh Eoin gives her daughter an option she never had.
Inis Meain is the only one of the three Aran islands to have been without secondary education until now, and there are many island residents who are still faced with tough decisions along the Atlantic seaboard. The support of Gaelscoileanna, the co-ordinating body for Irish-medium schools, and Udaras na Gaeltachta has been vital for the population of 192.
This was emphasised by Ms Jacqueline Ni Fhearghusa, director of Gaelscoileanna, when she presented a cheque for £10,000 to the co-op manager yesterday to help with the running costs for the first year.
Gaelscoileanna believes in the right of every child to be educated through the medium of Irish, regardless of where he/she might live.
The Aran Islands are regarded by the organisation as especially important in the campaign to foster and support the Irish language and the Gaeltacht. Ms Ni Fhearghusa said it was vitally important that parents could live on the island knowing that basic education rights would be available for their children.
Udaras na Gaeltachta is also committing £25,000, according to Ms Sorcha Nic Dhonacha, the authority's manager of culture and language, who attended the opening in the community hall, Halla Naomh Eoin. A classroom built off the hall will be used and the principal will be Mr Niall O Murchadha, retired principal of Scoil Iognaid in Galway, and regarded as one of the finest educators in the west.
Mr O Murchadha will commute to the island from Spiddal until the Department of Education and Science makes a decision on official recognition. After that the post will be advertised, he said. A teacher is also about to be appointed and the pupils will have the benefit of one-to-one tuition.
The small size of the class and the need for socialisation is a concern among parents but plans are already afoot to address this. The school will travel to sporting events and debates on the neighbouring islands and a "ceangail" or twinning arrangement is to be made with a north Dublin postprimary gaelschoil, Gaelcholaiste Dhomhnach Mide in Donaghmede.
