‘Meaningful recognition’ sought for old Virginia school
Cavan-Monaghan ETB must submit proposals ensuring the meaningful recognition of the original Virginia College building, which has been earmarked for demolition as part of major new expansion plans for the east Cavan secondary school, recently given the green light by planners.
The condition stipulates that the proposals show due “respect for and in recognition of the historic and social significance of the works undertaken by locals in the founding of the school”.
It is one of 27 planning conditions set out by council planners who granted CMETB permission to press ahead with a major extension project adding nine general classrooms, two SET rooms, three science labs, two prep areas and a four classroom SEN base.
Other conditions, published last week, refer to parking, environmental protection, and waste removal during construction.
The community appeared at loggerheads over plans to demolish the original college, built with the support of nine farming families who mortgaged their holdings to deliver a secondary school for the community in the early 1960s. The school was then handed over to the Department of Education and Cavan VEC, and it continues as the only agreement of its kind in the history of the State. While supportive of the expansion, planning files reveal the strong wishes of the Virginia Show Society and, separately, some descendants of the founding families, to have the original school property retained and somehow incorporated into the new project, rather than see it demolished.
In a statement to The Anglo-Celt, CMETB said the expansion is necessary to “cater for the needs of the growing student population and to provide necessary state of the art teaching and learning facilities for the whole school community”.
The spokesperson said that CMETB will now “adhere to all planning conditions” at set out.
“To facilitate this expansion, there will be demolition work required as part of the construction process. There is no preservation order assigned to any of the school buildings at Virginia College, nor record of same on Cavan County Council’s Record of Protected Structures.
“The new extension to the school follows on from three previous developments and ensures that Virginia College can continue to offer a full curriculum for students and serve the needs of the growing local community into the future. CMETB are working to progress and deliver this project in a timely manner, which is eagerly anticipated by the staff and students of Virginia College.”
Virginia Show Society has been contacted for comment.
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