Pictorial view of how our school building has changed.
For over 150 years the boys and girls of Portlaw went to separate schools. In 1991 the Sisters of Mercy, who had been directly involved in the education of the girls of Portlaw for over a century, vacated their school in the village. The result of this was the amalgamation of the Boys National School and the Convent School. This coincided with the building of two new classrooms and complete renovation of the old boys school.
In December 1996 the old convent building was finally vacated due to the completion of the second major building programme. Four new classrooms, a remedial room, an office, a staff room and a new yard were added. The building was officially opened by Junior Minister Brian O’Shea on June 13th. 1997.
1932-1991
This building was built in 1932.
Originally there were two rooms, with toilets and a third room added during the 1960’s The path led to outdoor toilets. The original building is the area to the left where the windows are and the blank wall on the right was the first extension with the toilet block attached. The walls were used by the boys to play handball. The sixth class handball court was against the gable end at the left hand side of the school
1991-1996
Two new classrooms, renovations to the rest of the building, and a new yard were ready for the start of the school year in 1991. This coincided with the amalgamation of the Boys and Girls schools. There were now four classrooms and a staff room in this building. Five classes were in the convent building, the gable end can be seen to the left of the building.
1997-present
Four new classrooms, remedial room, staffroom, and office were built onto the school. We now have eight classrooms and all the children are now in the one building. This extension is at a right angle to the above building.
The old convent school which we vacated in Dec. 1996. This ended a tradition of almost a century of teaching in the building.
Part of the building is now leased by The Portlaw Development Group. Sr. Attracta was the last principal of the girls school when the Mercy nuns finished in 1991..
Aerial photograph of the school
site taken in 1994
