Coomhola National School

25/08/2026

❤️ A Message to Our Parents as We Return to School

Dear Parents,
As we prepare to welcome our children back through the school gates, we know that this time of year brings many different emotions.
For some children, there will be excitement and anticipation. For others, there may be worry, uncertainty and those familiar butterflies in their tummy.

For many parents, there may be worries too.
Please remember that it is okay for your child to feel nervous. They do not need to have everything figured out on their first day. They do not need to walk through the gates without a tear or feel confident straight away.
Sometimes bravery looks like holding a parent's hand tightly.

Sometimes it looks like taking one small step through the school gate. And sometimes, simply arriving is a huge achievement. ❤️
As a school community, we want you to know that your children are not walking into school alone. Our teachers, SNAs and staff are here to welcome them, support them and help them feel safe and settled.

To every parent who finds the goodbye difficult, please know that we understand. Trust that your child's worries will be met with kindness, patience and reassurance.
Children grow in confidence in their own time. With encouragement, understanding and a little patience, those nervous first steps can slowly become confident ones.
Thank you for trusting us with what matters most to you.
We look forward to welcoming every child back, supporting every family and making this school year one filled with kindness, belonging and new beginnings.

One day at a time. One small step at a time so many wonderful memories to be made again this year❤️

21/08/2026

https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/the-river-remembers-stories-of-salmon-stewardship-on-the-coomhola-river-tickets-1995326934574

https://www.heritageweek.ie/event-listings/the-river-remembers-stories-of-salmon-and-stewardship-on-the-coomhola-river

Join us the premiere of The River Remembers documentary celebrating the people, stories, and natural heritage of the Coomhola River.

19/08/2026

A teacher walked into her classroom wearing a brand-new white T-shirt. She picked up a black marker and placed one small black dot right in the middle of it.

Then she stood in front of her students and asked, “What do you see?”

“A black dot!” the class answered almost in unison.

The teacher smiled. “Really? Is that all you noticed?”

The students looked at one another, confused.

Then she said, “You’re looking at a large white T-shirt. It’s clean, bright, and almost completely spotless. Yet not one of you mentioned all that white space. The first thing every one of you noticed was one tiny black dot.”

The room grew quiet.

“We often look at people the same way,” the teacher continued. “Someone may do a hundred kind things for us. They may support us, help us, show up when life gets difficult, and stand by our side when we need them most. But the moment they make one mistake, that single mistake can suddenly become all we see.”

She pointed to the little black mark.

“We can remember one hurtful sentence for years and forget hundreds of kind ones. We can focus on one weakness in another person and overlook dozens of good qualities. And sometimes we do the same thing with our own lives. We may have our health, people who love us, a home, friends, opportunities, and countless things to be grateful for—yet spend the entire day thinking about the one thing that went wrong.”

By then, the students were no longer staring only at the dot. They were looking at the entire shirt.

“I’m not saying the black dots don’t matter,” the teacher added. “Mistakes should be corrected. Problems need to be dealt with. Hurtful behavior should not be excused. But don’t let one dark spot erase everything good that surrounds it.”

Before the lesson ended, she gave them one final thought: “The next time you’re tempted to judge someone by a single mistake, or decide your whole day is terrible because of one bad moment, remember this shirt. Don’t look only at the black dot. Notice all the white space around it.”

Moral: Our minds naturally tend to notice what is wrong. Wisdom is learning to see the whole picture instead of allowing one negative moment to overshadow everything that is still good.

18/08/2026

18/08/2026

We have been asked to share the following information:

There is a peaceful protest on Tuesday evening at 7pm at Kealkill National School to show support for local girl Emma O'Shea who has Friedrich's Ataxia, and her family. This protest is for the HSE to reimburse the Skyclarys drug treatment and to request that it is made available to those who desperately need it.

If you can, please show support Tuesday evening 🙏

19/06/2026

And just like that, another school year comes to an end! 2025/2026 over and out.....

As we close our doors for the summer, I would like to thank all of our pupils, staff, parents, and the wider school community for a wonderful year filled with learning, laughter, hard work, and memorable moments.

To our pupils, thank you for the energy, kindness, and enthusiasm you bring to school each day. We are so proud of all that you have achieved this year.

To our staff, thank you for your dedication and commitment, and to our parents, thank you for your continued support and help throughout the year.

Have a safe, happy, and relaxing summer everyone. Enjoy the break, make lots of memories, and we look forward to welcoming you back on 26th August.

Happy Summer!

☀️🌻📚

19/06/2026

A big well done to all our pupils who received Excellent Attendance Certificates today!

We're very proud of your commitment and effort throughout the year. Thank you also to our parents for your support, excellent attendance is a real team effort.

Congratulations to all 🌟 students 🥰🥳
Keep up the great work!

18/06/2026

🎣🌿 The River Remembers – Stories of Salmon & Stewardship on the Coomhola River 🌿🎣

On Tuesday, our 3rd- 5th Class pupils enjoyed a wonderful few hours of learning on the banks of the Coomhola River as part of The River Remembers – Stories of Salmon & Stewardship on the Coomhola River project.

The children took part in an angling lesson and learned about the life cycle of salmon, the importance of healthy rivers, and the special connection between local communities and the natural environment. They explored how knowledge, traditions, and a love of the river are passed from one generation to the next, helping to foster a sense of stewardship and care for our local waterways.

A sincere thank you to Carl Dixon for sharing his expertise, enthusiasm, and passion for angling with our pupils. We are also very grateful to the Coomhola Anglers Club and StreamScapes for providing such a valuable and memorable educational experience.

The children thoroughly enjoyed the day and came away with a greater appreciation of the Coomhola River, its wildlife, and the importance of protecting this wonderful local resource for future generations.

17/06/2026

Yesterday, we celebrated a lovely 6th Class Graduation as we marked the end of a very special chapter for our wonderful pupils.

The ceremony was filled with beautiful songs, heartfelt speeches, and treasured memories that reflected their time in Coomhola National School National School. While we are sad to see them leave, we are incredibly proud of all they have achieved and know they have bright futures ahead. They will be greatly missed by all.

A sincere thank you to Eamon, Deirdre, Claire Hayden, and Clare Connor for all their hard work in organising such a memorable event.

The celebrations concluded with a final farewell as our Sixth Class pupils were clapped out of the school, with everyone wishing them every success and happiness on the next stage of their journey.

Best of luck, Sixth Class we know you will do great things! 🎓⭐