Stair na Scoile History of the School
Is bunscoil lánGhaelach í Gaelscoil na gCeithre Máistrí a bunaíodh sa bhliain 1999 chun freastal ar éileamh do bhunoideachas trí mheán na Gaeilge i mBaile Dhún na nGall. Thosaigh an scoil i mí Meán Fómhair 1999, le múinteoir amháin agus 12 dalta.
Bhí an scoil lonnaithe ar shuíomh a bhí ar cíos ar chúl na Gairmscoile ach bhí ganntanas spáis ann agus ní fada go raibh gá le bogadh. Ina dhiaidh 6 bliana, bhog an scoil go Páirc an tSrutháin, thart faoi mhíle ón baile mór. Feirmeacha beaga agus corrtheach a bhí sa cheantar i dtús báire, ach tógadh neart tithe agus eastáit bheaga sa cheantar ó shin. Tá muid taobh le páirc imeartha Drumbar FC agus is mór an cuidiú agus tacaíocht a thug siad dúinn thar na blianta.
Gaelscoil na gCeithre Máistrí is an Irish-Medium school which was founded in 1999 to meet the demand for Irish-Medium primary education in Donegal Town. The school started in September 1999 with one teacher and 12 pupils.
The school was situated on a rented site behind the Vocational College in town, but a lack of space soon created the necessity to move. After 6 years, the school moved to Brookfield, roughly a mile from town. Small farms and occasional houses were all that could be seen in the area at that time, but many homes and housing estates have been built since. We are located next to Drumbar FC and we are always grateful of the help and support that they have provided to the school over the years.
Thosaigh an scoil leis an máistir Oilibhear Mag Fhionnghaile mar mhúinteoir agus príomhoide. Lean Mandy Ní Bheirn, Seosamh Mac Suibhne, Seán Mac Giolla Fhiondáin agus Róisín Nic Cumhaill mar phríomhoidí thar na mblianta. Chaith Colmán Mac Cumhaill roinnt blianta ag feidhmiú mar phríomhoide ina dhiaidh sin agus ceapadh Eoghan Ó Gráda mar phíomhoide i mí Mheán Fomhair 2024.
B’é Pól Mac Aodha an chéad Cathaoirleach ar Bhord Bainistíochta na scoile. Lean Cathal Mac Suibhne é sa ról agus tá Caitríona Nic Seoin mar Chathaoirleach anois ar an Bhord Bainistíochta.
Ba ghrúpa bunaithe a bhunaigh an scoil ar dtús, grúpa de thuismitheoirí agus de Ghaeil a bhí ag lorg Gaeloideachas dá gcuid páistí i mBaile Dhún na nGall. Bhí Pól Mac Aodha mar chathaoirleach ar an choiste bunaithe seo. Is mór an bhaint a bhí ag Cathal Ó Raghallaigh le bunú na scoile fosta. Bhí sé ar an choiste bunaithe agus lean sé ar aghaidh mar chisteoir ar an chéad Bord Bainistíochta. Is mór an obair a rinne an choiste bunaithe agus an chéad Bord Bainistíochta leis an scoil a bhunú agus a neartú agus ní bheadh an Ghaelscoil againn i mBaile Dhún na nGall gan iad. Tá an scoil an leanstan leis an dea-obair ó shin.
The school began with Máistir Oilibhéar Mag Fhionnghaile as teacher ands principal. Mandy Ní Bheirn, Seosamh mac Suibhne, Seán Mac Giolla Fhionndáin and Róisín Nic Cumhaill followed as principals since that time. Colmán Mac Cumhaill, deputy principal, served as acting principal for a number of years and in September 2024, Eoghan Ó Gráda was appointed as the new principal of the school.
Pól Mac Aodha was the first chairperson of the Board of Management of the school. Cathal mac Suibhne followed in the role for many years and Caitríona Nic Seoin is now chairperson of the Board of Management.
A foundation committee began the school initially, a group of parents and Irish speakers who were seeking Irish-Medium education for their children in Donegal Town. Pól Mac Aodha was the chairperson of that foundation committee. Cathal Ó Raghallaigh also had a huge role in the foundation and initial management of the school. He was also on the foundation committee and served as treasurer to the first Board of Management. The work undertaken by that foundation committee and the first Board of Management to found and develop the school cannot be underestimated and a Gaelscoil would not exist in Donegal Town had it not been for them. The school has since continued to build on their hard work and strong foundations.
