St Mary’s Brollagh
A YOUNG disabled scoolboy has pleaded with the education authorities not to close his school because loves it so much and he doesn’t want to move.
Patrick Haren, from Derrygonnelly suffers from severer scoliosis as well as kyphosis, which causes excessive curvature of the spine and he has been a pupil at St Mary’s Brollagh since November 2015.
The 14-year-old is so concerned that the school will be closed that he has pleaded on his Facebook page for the school to be kept open and his education to continue there.
Just recently the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools said it was proposing to close the school with effect from August 31st 2018 or as soon as possible thereafter.
“Mum told me that we have to fight to keep my school open next year,” the year nine pupil posted.
“I love my school and I am very happy there. I like all the staff and all the pupils. Everyone is very kind to me.
“It took a long time for me to get started at my school, please don’t close my school.”
His mother Wendy had lobbied the Department of Education for funds to provide a special hygiene room, hand rails and disabled access for her son.
She said Brollagh was very flexible for him as he has a lot of medical needs.
“The school is perfect for him. It is not a very big school and he gets good one to one caring.
“He wouldn’t be able to cope in a big school and it’s on the back of my mind all the time now,” said Mrs Haren, who added that the closure of the school would probably result in ‘home schooling’ for her son. I can’t imagine him not being able to go. It would be heartbreaking,” she said.
“I can’t understand why this is back on the table. It’s baffling. It shouldn’t just come down to money and numbers,” she declared. He has every right to go to a school that is comfortable for him.”
Since Patrick posted on facebook he has had a number of supportive comments backing his plea for the school not to close.
His mum, a member of the school’s parents’ group, is ready to fight to save the rural school. The group begins its programme to save the school at a meeting tonight, Wednesday.
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