Name of new secondary school for Callan announced.

A new school found a new name…. and this is how:

The Project Steering Committee (PSC), tasked by the trustees of St. Brigid’s College and Coláiste Éamann Rís to coordinate the amalgamation of Callan’s two secondary schools, initiated a process in January 2020 to select a name for the new school which will open its doors on the 1st September 2022. In order to do this, the PSC reached out to the community as a whole, and the communities of the two schools in particular, to get their input into this decision.

The following process was applied

• The Community at large were asked to submit their ideas for a new school name between the 9th and 20th January 2020 with suggestions to be reflective of one or more of the following guidelines:

o Callan, its history and/or location

o The schools from which the new school shall be created

o The Catholic and inclusive ethos of the schools

o A vision for the future of the new school as a reflection of the community

• From the 116 submissions, a short list of 5, which met the criteria, was selected by the Steering Committee

• A preferential voting process was put in place, for students, parents, staff, and members of the boards of management to select their choice, in order of preference, between 12 midday on the 14th February and 6pm on the 17th February 2020.

• The overwhelming choice of the school communities was sent to the Trustees, CEIST and ERST, for approval. It was formally approved by letter on 25^th March 2020.

We are therefore delighted to announce that the name of the new school will be :

Coláiste Abhainn Rí

Named after the river which flows through Callan, this name reflects the history of the town as well one of its main geographical features. Abhainn Rí, also known as the Kings River, rises in the Slieveardagh Hills of Tipperary, flowing 70kms, through Callan, on its way to join the Nore at Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny. Callan is named after a former High King of Ireland, Niall Caille, who, when leading an army across the river to fight the Norsemen, was drowned while trying to rescue one of his entourage being swept away in the flooded river. It is this incident which gives the river its name and that name has passed to our school.

Mary O’Keeffe, Principal St. Brigid’s College

Majella Gleeson, Principal, Coláiste Éamann

Joint Secretaries, Callan Project Steering Committee, Monday 30^th March 2020