Togher National Schools - Restorative Works 1995

In 1995 , during the Summer Holidays , major reconstruction and restorative works were undertaken on Togher National Schools by several contractors and supervised by Con Sheehan of the Board of Management. Aside from a complete recovering of all roofs , extensive work was carried out inside the buildings most notably on the Girls School side. This entailed excavating floors and rendering walls due to poor cement which had resulted in cracks and fissures appearing which were exacerbated by spring storms resulting in one classroom being abandoned during school term. The 1983 School Extension was refitted with a pitched roof for added safety against inclement weather.

Builder and materials atop school roof

Builders Bill and Noel taking a well earned rest 
after completion of works in classroom

Reinforcing foundations of building

Drilling out old cement

Rubble infill prior to covering with concrete 

Classroom converted into builders yard

Supports for upstairs classroom during construction

The roofs of the Boys School were refurbished by Murphy and O'Sullivan who also installed a new pitched roof over the 1983 extension with the Girls School being done by Keohanes of Aherla. The job of restoring the ground floors of both schools went to Bowen Construction. This mammoth task in 1995 was the third of three undertaken on the site ; the other two being the School Extension in 1983 and of course the initial construction of the Schools themselves in 1971.

Builder with wheelbarrow in corridor

Classroom reinforced with girders for safety

Mrs. O'Sullivan in Classroom prior to floor being

infilled with concrete and sealed

Floor being rendered with concrete

Ms. O'Sullivan and Principal Mrs. O'Sullivan

Classroom ceiling prior to fitting of tiles

Replacing ceiling tiles after electrical work

Past Pupil Rachel O'Meara recalls : " there were a number of terrible storms and the extension roof sprung a leak , the first classroom of the extension ( on the right as you go in ) was completely destroyed. While the repair work was going on the class was shoehorned into the computer room where they would stay for a couple of months until the extension classroom was fixed. "
Ex-Principal Elizabeth Murphy Sheehan informed the blog : " ... the building had a number of cracks due to poor cement. The downstairs middle section had to be strengthened by girders and new construction ... There was a special Mass to bless the renovations in late September I think. "

Panoramic view of Togher Schools

Topside view of roofs under repair

Snapshot of builders with scaffolding in situ

Teetering on the parapet of Togher School

Drilling rain runoffs in roof

Builder surveying the locality of Togher

Newly finished covering for roof of Girls School

 Special thanks to Principal Ms. Driscoll for loan of photo portfolio and to Kathleen O'Keeffe of Togher Historical Assoc. for delivery of same to blog.