Diary on the Building of the Extension (click to read in full)

Week 2

21st January – 25th January 2008

When we came back on Monday, the boiler house, the chimney, the kitchen and most of the boy’s toilet was demolished. The boys now have a tiny toilet! The digger driver is busy cutting out the foundation. There is a constant stream of lorries in and out removing soil.

Next, the lorries were unloading stones into the foundation. Mr. McDonagh and Mrs. Costelloe let us view the foundation from the prefab window. We saw that the foundation is about 1m deep. There is brown soil like icing on grey sandy marly soil.

There is the noise of the digger: the lorry unloading jack hammers and the pitter patter of the rain.

Week 3

January 28th – February 1st 2008

This week, the original outside toilets (1953) are gone! Monday morning, we trooped into the hall to see the foundation for the new resource room, office and toilets. We saw the foundation. It had orange plastic to stop radon gas rising and the steel rods were around the edges to make the building strong. At 9.30 a.m. the concrete lorry arrived and that section of the foundation was filled in. The weather was dry and mild. The rest of the foundation is being prepared. The edges are being marked with a wooden frame. We threw in our objects into the foundation. The digger covered them with stones.

We put in –

Holy Water for Esker (Mrs. Costelloe)

St. Bridget’s Cross

Miraculous Medal (Fr.Larkin)

Prayers by Tara Bermingham and Niamh O’Malley

Horse Shoe by Dearbhla Reynolds

Coins old and new by Ciara Keane and Dearbhla

We will make St.Bridget’s Crosses on Friday.

Northampton N.S. Won ‘The Credit Union Quiz’

Week 4

04th February – 8th February

This week the weather varied from downpours and hailstones to mild weather. The casing was taken off the raft on Monday. The raft is left to settle before the block layers come.

Today, Friday 8th February, all the water has evaporated from the raft. Blocks are being delivered. There is an odd looking shed on the site. We wonder what it is for??

Week 5

February 11th – February 15th

The block layers are busy this week. The cement mixer is churning out concrete. Blocks come in bales of 44. The brickie builds a double wall and leaves a cavity for insulation. A strip of D.P.L. Damp Proof Course is placed on the foundation under the blocks. The blocklayer uses a spirit level a line and a trowel.

The weather is fine this week. The strange shed is used to store cement / lime / pipes

A recipe for concrete…..

Mix

Sand

Cement

Lime

Plasticiser

Water

Concrete Lintel

Space for Window

Space for Sill

Week 6

February 18th – February 22nd

The weather is frosty and sunny this week. Now it is bright until 6.30 p.m. Mr. Kelly and his team of block layers have been working hard. The front and side walls are now at full height. The new building has been knitted into the existing school building. The bales of blocks are disappearing as the men work on the wall facing the Water Tower.

We can hear the whirr of the cement mixer, the slap of the concrete on the blocks and the grating off the concrete. We hear the boss urging his men to work hard. Sarah & Mai Sheehan had a new baby sister on Monday, 18th 2008. Mr. McDonagh’s new baby Sean was born on Thursday, 21st February 2008.

Week 7

February 25th – February 29th

The outside walls are now finished. The block layers are building the inside walls to divide the building into rooms. The inside walls are single walls. This week, we can hear the clang of Iron as the men erect the scaffolding. They hope to start building the gables soon.

We can hear the rain dancing on the roof of the prefab and the wind swirling around. We have Mr. McDonagh our book of poems and cards for baby Sean. He was very happy. This week, we are busy writing poems and cards for Mother’s Day. We are working on our Write-a-book Project too. Friday is February 29th, as 2008 is a leap year. I am in third class now and I will be secondary school the next time a leap year comes in 2012.

Le cunamh De.

Week 8

March 03rd – March 07th

It snowed on Monday but alas! as it was wet, it quickly melted. There was a stirring wind blowing. The hollow core was put in on Saturday. This forms the roof of the classroom and the floor of the upstairs.

The stairs are now in place too. At 7.30 a.m. Saturday morning, five lorries of hollow core were lining up. A giant crane hoisted the slabs of concrete into place until 6.00 p.m. There are supports under the slabs until a layer of concrete goes in on top. There is netting around the scaffolding to keep men safe as they block lay the gables and start roofing.

Week 9

March 10th – March 14th 2008

It’s all go this week on the building site.

Mr.McDonagh took photos of us in front of McDonagh’s Lorry, Galway who delivered the trusses for the roof.

· The gables are blocklayed

· The inside walls are being finished

· The door opposite Mr.McDonagh’s room has been blocked up

· The walls of the new office and resource room are being built

We are looking forward to Science Labs on Wednesday.

The Cake Sale for Bothar is on Thursday.

The Holidays are on Friday

Easter won’t be as early again until 2160!

Beannachtai na Feile Padraig ort

Week 10

March 31st – April 04th 2008

· We are back after our two week Easter break. The builders have been busy.

· The east gable knocked by the storm on the 13th March was re-built.

· The roof trusses were put up.

· Felt was placed on the roof trusses.

· The Kilkelly brothers are busy nailing on slates.

· The electrician Mr. McCormack came yesterday to discuss where the plugs and lights will go.

· We raised €700 in our cake sale.

Week 11

April 7th – April 11th 2008

· It has been all decks on hand this week on the building site.

· The roof on the side of the pitch is being slated.

· Three large velux windows were fitted on it.

· The windows are fitted in the building.

· The plaster has done been done, the first coat (skim coat).

· The gable on McCormack’s side has got a final coat of plaster.

· Inside are being chased out for wiring.

Week 12

April 14th – April 18th 2008

It’s a bright and sunny week. Buiochous le Dia.

The outside of the building has been plastered.

· The fascia and soffit is in place.

· Men are putting steel rods on the hollow core ceiling. After that they will start slabbing.

· The electrician will do the first fixing of the wires.

· The school won €100 in the handwriting contest.

· We are off to see ‘The Con Tempo Quartet’ in the Galway Education Centre and we will have fun and games at ‘HipKidz’ after that.

Week 13

April 21st – April 25th 2008

· The building is really beginning to take shape.

· Valentuno from Brazil is painting the outside. The scaffolding will come down soon.

· The Donohue brothers have finished the main roof. They are working on the flat roof.

· Inside the ceilings have been covered with steel rods and plaster slabs.

· Upstairs, J.J. Donohue has divided the space into different rooms.

· Ta an aimsir ag dul I bhfeabhas buiochas le Dia.

Week 14

April 28th th – 02nd May 2008

The building site has been quiet for the first time since work began in January. The delay is the sorting of the 3 price quotes from the Electrician and the Plumber. The outside painting is finished. Connacht Scaffolding took away the scaffolding on Tuesday. We are looking forward to the May bank holiday.

Week 15

May 6th – May 9th 2008

We are back after the May bank holiday. Kinvara is awaiting the arrival of Bishop Drennan for Confirmation on Tuesday.

· Inside the new building, Joe McCormack and his team are busy doing the wiring.

· Frank Shiels and Christy Farrell are putting up beading around the window and corners before they start plastering.

Summer is here – Buiochas le Dia

Week 16

May 12th – May 16th 2008

The plasters are busy inside. J.J.s nephew Martin explained what they do.

· They put beading around the window edges, doors and corners.

· They cover the walls with mortar. Mortar is made with four scoops of sand and one scoop of cement and water.

· Next the plaster is put on with a trowel with nails to make the surface rough.

· A fine plaster is put on with a trowel.

· The final coat is called a polish!

Week 17

May 19th – May 23rd 2008

· The plasters have been very busy. They hope to be finished plastering all the ground floor by Friday.

· Next week, they will be slabbing upstairs (putting plaster boards over wooden frames which divide the rooms upstairs).

· On Tuesday, 20th May, we went on our school to Dublin Zoo and Croke Park on a train from Athenry to Heuston.

· Alana, Kate, Shane, Josh and Dearbhla made their 1st Holy Communion on Saturday, May 17th.

Ta an grian ag taitneamh.

Week 18

May 26th – May 30th, 2008

The builders were working on the flat part of the roof today. They had to apply a vapour barrier to this part of the roof. They used a blow torch to seal this vapour barrier. A J.C.B. delivered insulated material and felt for the roof. The J.C.B. came into the playground and passed the materials up to the roofer using its bucket in front.

Week 19

June 02nd – Jun 06th , 2008

· This week the upstairs is almost completely plastered.

· A partition has been put up near Ms. Corless’ room.

· They will start creating the new boys toilets.