Co. Wexford Meitheal Alliance

History of Meitheal in Co. Wexford

Meitheal in Co. Wexford began in 1997 as a pilot scheme at the C.B.S. Secondary School, New Ross. The New Ross Lions Club very generously offered to sponsor the programme for a period of five years. With the sponsorship that was received from the Lions Club that year twelve students from the C.B.S. were chosen to be Meitheal Leaders.

Following a very successful year it was decided to introduce the programme the following year to the five second level schools in New Ross: C.B.S, Vocational College, St. Mary's Secondary School, Good Counsel College and Our Lady of Lourdes Secondary School. This was made possible through funding received from the Lions Club and also from funding received from Co. Wexford Partnership.

News of the success of the programme soon spread and Meitheal was introduced to Gorey Community College, St. Mary's C.B.S., Enniscorthy, Vocational College, Bunclody and Coláiste Eamón Rís (C.B.S., Wexford). At this stage funding was also being received from Wexford Area Paretnership. All training and facilitation of the programme at this stage was carried out on a voluntary basis by Odhrán Furlong, Marguerite Ahearne and Louise Buckey.

A meeting of interested parties was organised by Marguerite Furlong of Co. Wexford Partnership and Kevin Cronin of Wexford Area Partnership in June 2000. At this meeting an interim committee was formed and given a mandate to secure funding for the programme and appoint a co-ordinator.

In December 2001 funding was granted by Mary Hanafin, Minister for Children from the Fund for Targeted Educational Responses for Certain Children at Risk. In May 2001 Odhrán Furlong was appointed co-ordinator and began running the programme from Co. Wexford Education Centre.

Meitheal became part of the Prevention of Early School Leaving Programme of Co. Wexford Partnership during the summer of 2001.The Meitheal programme continued to grow and is now an integral part of the education process in all of the second level schools in Co. Wexford. Last year the total number of schools involved rose to twenty one with the addition of Colaiste Bhride, Carnew.