ST Kevin’s College in Lisnaskea is now one step closer to its planned state-of-the-art, multi-million-pound new school building.

On Friday, staff, members of the school’s Board of Governors, and representatives from the construction and architectural firms gathered in the school’s main hall to sign the contract for the project.

The development will include 11 new classrooms, office areas, toilets, and resource spaces, as well as create over 15 new jobs in the area.

“This is a long-awaited extension that will give us much-needed extra classrooms and dedicated space,” said Thomas O’Reilly, chair of the Board of Governors.

“The school has been a victim of its own success – our numbers have increased year on year and we have literally run out of room to keep teaching the way we need to.”

Since the 2017 amalgamation of St Comhghall’s and St Eugene’s in Roslea, St Kevin’s has seen rapid growth.

Originally built for 500 students, the school now caters for over 700.

The pressure on space has been a challenge for staff and students alike.

“We’ve been campaigning for an expansion since the school amalgamated,” said school priest Father John Chester.

“The expansion will certainly serve pupils and teachers. It will allow more space for education and less cramped conditions. It will not just benefit the school but also the community around us.”

The new building will include specialist accommodation for ICT, technology, and media studies, and has been designed with safety and accessibility in mind.

Principal Gary Kelly, who has been closely involved in the planning process, explained the delays and shared his optimism.

“The building project was announced in 2018, seven years ago, and is a multimillion-pound project. Seven years is a long time, and the reason it’s taken so long is because of Covid,” he said.

“Covid has also made the project more expensive due to the rising prices of materials.”

Despite the delays, the design remains unchanged and construction is due to start during the upcoming summer holidays.

“We are very much excited to get it started,” said Principal Kelly. “Hopefully it will be finished by September 2026. It’s a big school and we are oversubscribed.

“This space will give us the ability to grow and provide world-class education.”

Lowry Construction has been appointed as the builders for the development, which has been designed by Samuel Stevenson & Sons Architects.

The project has been supported by the Department of Education and the Department of Finance.

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