Project Description

Querrin National School closed in 2019. In 2001 the Querrin Pier Community Development Group (QPCDG) began talks with Father Casey about the QPCDG running Querrin National School in the best interest of the local and wider Loop Head Community.

After extensive public consultations in the community a committee, separate from the QPCDG, was voted into place to enact the needs and wishes of the local community. This group is known as the Querrin Schoolhouse Project.

Subsequently the community brainstormed ideas for the school building at several workshops, whereby the opportunities for success and any potential challenges were also considered. The list of ideas for the school were condensed to 16 options and these options were voted upon by the community. People were asked to select their top 5 preferences from the list of options, with their first preference getting a score of 5 points, their second preference a score of 4 points, and so. The idea was not to exclude any options, but to re-order the list so that the committee would have a solid community-prioritised direction of travel for the project.

The results of the poll were as follows:

• 151 points – Social & Cultural event space and private function rooms

• 147 points – Café & Shop (with an outdoor area during summer)

• 119 points – Educational/training centre, providing full-time or evening courses

• 94 points – Digital Hub

• 71 points – Meeting place for clubs or special interest groups

• 57 points – HSE-approved commercial kitchen for events, food production, etc.

• 39 points – Museum and Heritage Space celebrate local history

• 31 points – Creche/Child services, for parent/toddler groups, summer camps, etc.

• 29 points – Sports/health & fitness centre

• 24 points – Community/Tourist information centre for visitors and residents

• 22 points – Community Health Clinic

• 21 points – Men’s shed and/or She shed in part of the building

• 19 points – Small hostel in part of the building, perhaps Camino-style basic lodgings

• 11 points – Farmers’ market with seasonal craft market

• 9 points – Non-denominational school in part of the building, e.g. Educate Together

• 6 points – Polling station

This list provides a clear direction and it is easy to imagine that the building could accommodate most of the activities listed in different rooms and at different times of the year.

Project Justification & Objectives

Querrin is geographically well located to provide some of the facilities identified in the Loop Head Tourism Plan 2001. In addition the school is suitable to act as a community hub and vibrant meeting place to accommodate a variety of events and groups from both Querrin as well as the wider Loop Head community.

Potential Project Stakeholders*

• Loop Head Together

• Querrin Schoolhouse Project

• Querrin Pier Community Development Group

*Potential Project Stakeholders means all stakeholders have not necessarily yet been contacted to help co-design the project, but are mentioned here as they would be a desirable project partner. We may have forgotten some - please let us know!