03/06/2026
Today we celebrated a very special occasion in Westport Town Hall Theatre with the launch of our 5th and 6th class booklet, “Old Factories of Westport.”
We are incredibly proud of our pupils for the dedication, curiosity and enthusiasm they showed throughout this project. Their hard work has resulted in a wonderful piece of local history that will be enjoyed for years to come.
A special word of thanks and congratulations must go to their teacher, Meriel Donaghy, and SNA Áine Lavelle, whose guidance, encouragement and commitment helped bring this project to life.
Projects like this highlight the importance of preserving and celebrating our local heritage. By exploring the history of the factories, businesses and people who shaped Westport, our pupils gained a deeper appreciation of their local environment and the importance of community, especially in a town like Westport.
We would like to sincerely thank the many local people who assisted the children with their research. In particular, thank you to Chris Gavin, who came into school and generously shared his memories and experiences of working in the shoe factory and helped bring an important chapter of Westport’s industrial history to life for the pupils.
A huge thank you to Liamy McNally for officially launching the booklet today and for supporting the children’s work. We are also very grateful to Rosaleen at Westport Town Hall Theatre for hosting us and making everyone feel so welcome.
Thank you to all the parents, families, friends and members of the community who came along to support the children today. Finally, we would like to express our gratitude to Burrenbeo Trust for funding and supporting this project through the Heritage Keepers Programme, helping our pupils connect with and celebrate the rich heritage of their local area.
Well done to all involved on a fantastic achievement and a memorable day for our school and community. We are so proud of all our wonderful pupils.
