Is iomaí uair a luadh go mbeadh éileamh ar ghaelscoil i mbaile Loch Garman ach níor tháinig sé i gcrích go dtí gur bunaíodh Gaelscoil Charman sa bhliain 1994. Ag an am ní raibh ach 37 ag freastal ar an scoil agus is féidir grianghraif na ndaltaí sin a fheiscint ar fhallaí na scoile seo anois. Ní bhfuair an scoil aitheantas buan ón Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna go dtí 1997. Ag fás agus ag forbairt atá cúrsaí gaelscolaíochta i Loch Garman ó shin.
B' í Áine Uí Ghionnáin an príomhoide ar Ghaelscoil Charman ón dtús. Bhí fís aici agus thuig sí gur de réir a chéile a thógtar caisleáin. Bean is ea í a d'oibrigh go dian ar mhaithe le gach duine a bhí faoina cúram - oibritheoirí sa scoil, múinteoirí, daltaí, cuairteoirí, tuismitheoirí agus araile go dtí gur éirigh sí as i Lúnasa 2021. Is í Dearbhla Mhic Chaoilte an príomhoide anois. Thosaigh Dearbhla ag obair mar mhúinteoir i nGaescoil Charman 2005 agus ghlac sí ról an Phríomhoide i Meán Fómhair 2021.
Bhí an scoil lonnaithe sa Scoil Cheoil ar dtús. Ansin bhí seomraí san Ionad phobail sna Botha Fuara in úsáid chomh maith le siopa folamh sa cheantar céanna! Ar deireadh bhí gach rang go léir le chéile in Ionad Naomh Iósaf agus gort deas imeartha ann do na páistí. Ach tháinig deireadh leis an ré sin agus is as monarcha a bhí an scoil ag feidhmiú go dtí Meitheamh 2005.
Ach b’fhiú an t-achrann ar fad mar i Meán Fómhair 2005 bhí an scoil ag feidhmiú as an bhfoirgneamh úr nua ar an gCarraig Bhán Thuaidh. Bhí an fhís i gcrích; bhí an caisleán ar an bhfód. Aistear mór fada ab ea é lán de mhothúcháin éagsúla: díomá, strus, gáire, gol, bród, misneach… agus lán de chuimhní cinn chomh maith.
Is iomaí duine a stiúraigh an scoil ar an mbóthar ceart. Bhí Lorcán Ó hUadhaigh ina chathaoirleach ar Bhord Bainistíochta na Scoile ó 1994 – 2010, an t-Athair Mícheál Ó Sé ó 2010-2011, Pádraig Ó Lorcáin ó 2011-2015, Máire Uí Liatháin ó 2015- 2019, Tomás ó Gallachóir ó2019-2020, agus Caitríona Ní Choileáin go dtí an lá atá inniu ann.
Bhí cabhair agus comhairleoir spioradálach ag teastáil chomh maith agus fuarthas é sin ón Athair Séamus Ó Murchú a bhí ina shéiplíneach ó 1994-2005 agus tá an t-Athair Mícheál Ó Sé in a shéiplíneach ó shin.
Bhí Prionnsias ina príomhoide thánaisteach ag tacú le hÁine sna blianta tosaigh ach ina diaidh bhí an ról sin ag Síle, Caroline agus tá ról an phríomhoide thánaisteach ag Denise faoi láthair. Ní neart go cur le chéile!
Tá foireann na scoile an-bródúil as iar-scoláirí na scoile. Tá siad cáilithe i ngach saghas gairm bheatha –cócaire, gruagaire, múinteoireacht, margaíocht, gnó, leigheas, tógáil, drámaíocht, ríomhaireacht, cuntasóireacht, na meán cumarsáide, dlí, ealaíon agus araile. Cé a cheapfadh é i 1994? Is deas a bheith in ann cumarsáid a dhéanamh as Gaeilge le h-iar scoláirí na scoile. Níor chaill siad an tseoid riamh.
Níl íseal ná uasal nach mbíonn suas seal agus síos seal …..Cailleadh Sorcha Nic Réamoinn, iar-scoláire na scoile i 2008 agus cailleadh Bernadette Murphy i 2010 agus Máire Uí hUigín i 2016, a bhí mar bhaill de fhoireann na scoile. Dearadh gairdín cuimhniúcháin ar shuíomh na scoile chun deis a thabhairt do dhaoine cuimhneamh ar na mairbh. D'osclaíodh Cosán Mháire os comhair na scoile go hoifigiúil i mí Dheireadh Fómhair 2017. Suaimhneas síoraí go raibh acu.
It has been mentioned many times that there would be a demand for a Gaelscoil in the town of Wexford but it did not materialize until Gaelscoil Charman was established in 1994. At the time there were only 37 attending the school and photos of those pupils can be seen see the walls of this school now. The school did not receive permanent recognition from the Department of Education and Skills until 1997. Gaelic schooling in Wexford has been growing and developing since then.
Áine Uí Ghinnáin was the principal of Gaelscoil Charman from the beginning. She had a vision and understood that castles are built gradually. She is a woman who worked hard for the benefit of everyone in her care - workers in the school, teachers, students, visitors, parents and so on until she resigned in August 2021. The principal is Dearbhla McChailte now. Dearbhla started working as a teacher in Gaescoil Charman in 2005 and took on the role of Principal in September 2021.
The school was originally based in the Music School. Then there were rooms in the Community Center in the Cold Huts in use as well as an empty shop in the same area! Finally, all classes were all together in St. Joseph's Center and there was a nice playground for the children. But that era ended and the school operated from a factory until June 2005.
But all the trouble was worth it because in September 2005 the school was operating from the brand new building on White Rock North. The vision was accomplished; the castle was in sight. It was a long journey full of different emotions: disappointment, stress, laughter, crying, pride, courage... and full of memories as well.
Many people steered the school on the right track. Lorcán Ó hUadhaigh was chairman of the School's Management Board from 1994 - 2010, Father Mícheál Ó Sé from 2010-2011, Pádraig Ó Lorcáin from 2011-2015, Máire Uí Liatháin from 2015-2019, Tomás ó Gallachóir from 2019-2020 , and Caitríona Ní Coileáin to this day.
Help and a spiritual adviser were also needed and this was received from Father Séamus Ó Murchú who was chaplain from 1994-2005 and Father Mícheál Ó Sé has been his chaplain since then.
Prionnsias was a secondary principal supporting Áine in the early years but after her that role was played by Síle, Caroline and Denise currently has the role of secondary principal. Not enough to put together!
The school staff is very proud of the former students of the school. They are qualified in all kinds of careers – cooking, hairdressing, teaching, marketing, business, medicine, construction, drama, computing, accounting, media, law, arts and more. Who would have thought it in 1994? It is nice to be able to communicate in Irish with former students of the school. They never lost the treasure.
There is no low or noble that does not have ups and downs ... Sorcha Nic Réamoinn, a former student of the school, was lost in 2008 and Bernadette Murphy was lost in 2010 and Máire Uí hUigín in 2016, who were members of the school's staff. A memorial garden was designed on the school site to give people an opportunity to remember the dead. Cosán Máire was officially opened in front of the school in October 2017. Peace be upon them.
Not only are the young ex-students coming to teach at the school but children started with two ex-students at the school in September 2015. The children's mothers, Saoirse Nic Ferghaile and Ciara Nic Dhomhnaill, were in the first class when the school. How quickly the years go by!
A good half of the work....even though the school did not have a proper building and the hardships in the early years there was always a good atmosphere but as a pillar the passion and love for the culture of the Irish language was clearly visible. And that influence is expanding and interest and respect for the culture of the Irish language has increased among the people of the town and the county. Since the opening of Gaelscoil Charman there are now two other Gaelscoils in the county, in Ennis Corthaid and Guaire. The demand for Garman Middle School is also increasing every year. The vision has come to perfection; a man of courage never lost it nor a woman of courage!
No one in 1994 could have imagined what would happen to Gaelscoil Charman. It is clear that the school has left its mark on many people, both young and old. May she continue to support, develop, nurture, strengthen, listen and respond in the coming years. It's a long lasting baby!