Opening of St Michael"s sports hall culmination of long campaign

The official opening next Tuesday of a state-of-the-art sports hall at Loreto St Michael"s secondary school in Navan marks the culmination of a 20-year campaign for the facility. Past pupil of the school, champion jockey Nina Carberry from Ballybin, Ashbourne, will perform the opening ceremony, which will also be attended by the Mayor of Navan, Cllr Padraig Fitzsimons, Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey and Bishop Michael Smith. School Principal Sr Elaine Troy said this week that the opening of the centre was 'a dream come true'. She has campaigned for the sports facility over her 20-year tenure in Navan. Up to last year, the school had been without indoor sports facilities. At one stage, a large room inside the Loreto buildings was pressed into service as a sports room but was far less than adequate for the needs of the 770 pupils. The struggle to get the centre established was 'long and hard', according to school sources, and was only possible through the contribution to the cost of almost €2 million by the Department of Education and Science and vigorous fundraising activity by the parents" association. Sr Elaine paid tribute to parents, saying that they had raised €40,000 alone from their Thousandaire promotion, and had also engaged in other extensive fundraising events. It is almost four years since the project was sanctioned and the facility was opened last year and has been in use since then. The centre has a fully-equipped gymnasium and two full-size basketball/netball courts, along with a viewing gallery, showers and equipment rooms. The official opening comes as the Loreto order worldwide prepares to celebrate its 400th anniversary next year. The order was founded by Yorkshire woman Mary Ward in 1609 and the Irish section was formed by Dubliner Mary Ball. Meanwhile, the St Michael"s open night will be held on 13th October next at 8pm. All sixth class students of local primary schools and their parents/guardians are invited to attend.