New principal appointed to Lecarrow school

A new principal has been appointed to the multi-denominational Lecarrow National School.

Lecarrow native Naos Connaughton was announced last week as the principal of the school, which is now under the auspices of the Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB).

The school, formerly St John's NS, was divested of its Catholic patronage and changed to the multi-denominational 'community national school' model, under the patronage of the GRETB, during the summer.

Its new principal, Mr Connaughton, is an active member of St Dominic's GAA Club and captain of the Roscommon senior hurling team.

A past pupil of the school in Lecarrow, he graduated from Froebel College (in association with Trinity College) in 2012 with an Honours Bachelor of Education, and he obtained a Masters in Education, specialising in ‘Leadership for Learning’, with Ulster University last June.

He previously served as a primary teacher with Maynooth Educate Together national school in a range of classes and settings, and has experience in the area of resource and learning support, with a keen interest in Gaeilge, mathematics, PE, wellbeing and inclusivity in education.

His exploits on the hurling pitch culminated in him being awarded a ‘Christy Ring All-Star’ in 2018.

Mr Connaughton succeeds Evelyn Kilcline as principal of the school. 

The school currently has eight pupils enrolled, with two more due to start there shortly. Mr Connaughton said it was currently open for new enrolment and he pointed out that, with two and a half teaching posts at the school, it has a very good "pupil to teacher" ratio.