Dalkey School Project, the first Educate Together school, celebrated the 50th Anniversary of its Inaugural Meeting on Friday, 28th February 2025. This milestone marks half a century of pioneering inclusive and equality-based education in Ireland.
Founded in 1978 by a group of parents determined to create a multi-denominational learning environment, Dalkey School Project National School (DSPNS) was Ireland’s first school to provide an alternative to the traditional denominational system. In May 1984 the school moved from its four temporary premises to its now permanent home in Glenageary, where it continues to thrive with a strong focus on fostering diversity, inclusion and child-centred education.
The movement expanded, with Bray School Project established in 1981 and North Dublin National School Project in 1984. These first three schools formed a national umbrella organisation under the banner of ‘Educate Together’, a term that had been in use since the early days of the Dalkey School Project.
This grassroots initiative has grown into the modern school patron and management body Educate Together, which has opened 50 schools in the past ten years to reach a network of 118 equality-based schools across Ireland today. However, with demand increasing rapidly, the need for further growth remains as strong as ever. Access to inclusive education is still limited for many families, which highlights the ongoing need for change. As we celebrate this milestone anniversary, we are reminded of the work that lies ahead and our commitment to pushing forward with efforts to expand access to Educate Together schools, particularly in the face of current challenges.
The day’s celebrations featured speeches and reflections that highlighted the school’s journey from its founding to where it is today and its bright future ahead. Desmond Green, one of the school’s founders, passed on the symbolic Key of the School to the school principal Clodagh Robinson, a meaningful gesture acknowledging the ongoing legacy of the school. Áine Hyland shared a powerful summary of the original Dalkey School Project vision, while Emer Nowlan, CEO of Educate Together, also addressed the gathering. Representatives from the Student Council, Board of Management, and the Patron spoke about the school today and its continued commitment to equality-based education. The event was further enriched by a beautiful performance from the school choir, adding a special touch to the celebration.
Principal of Dalkey School Project, Clodagh Robinson, reflected on the significance of this anniversary:
“It’s wonderful to be celebrating the brave changemaking advocates who 50 years ago started the journey to make inclusive education a reality in Ireland. Their legacy lives on through us here in Dalkey School Project and Educate Together as we continue to advocate for equal access to education and wellbeing for every child.”
One of the school’s founder members, Desmond J Green, highlighted the continued importance of standing firm in the face of current challenges:
This celebration is an opportunity to renew our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusivity which lies at the heart of the Dalkey School Project and Educate Together. Our core values are being challenged in the wider world and we must reassert how essential they are to the type of society in which we want to live and in which we want our children to flourish. We have a sense of disappointment that there are still so few Educate Together primary schools – 98 out of over 3000 in Ireland despite continued demand from parents. We call on the Minister of Education and the Government to deliver on its commitment to increase choice for parents. This is a real measure of the Government’s commitment to pluralism in Ireland.
Áine Hyland, another founding member of the Dalkey School Project as well as a renowned educational historian and lifelong advocate for educational reform, shared her thoughts on reaching this milestone:
To-day is a very happy occasion – the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the inaugural meeting of the Dalkey School Project, the first of the Educate Together schools. I would like to thank and congratulate the pupils, parents and especially the teachers who have fostered and built on the original vision of the Dalkey School Project – a vision of equality, inclusivity and diversity. At a time when these values were never more important – and sadly are currently being eroded in some parts of the world – it is encouraging and uplifting to hear the current generation of pupils advocating so determinedly for these values. I look forward to the continuing growth and success of the Educate Together sector in the coming 50 years.
Ms. Sabina Higgins, wife of the President of Ireland, was also in attendance at today’s event. Ms. Higgins, who played a key role in the establishment of the Galway School Project in the late 1980s and early 1990s, has been a steadfast advocate for inclusive education. She congratulated the original founders on their vision and determination and spoke about the benefits of the Educate Together ethos for inclusion and social cohesion.
