Located in Ireland's newest planned town, Adamstown Community College boasts a diverse student body representing over 50 nationalities. The article explores how the school fosters a sense of belonging and unity amidst this rich cultural tapestry, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of building a community in a town still under development.
Principal of Adamstown Community College Adrian P Flynn and deputy principal Shane Comiskey with a representative of each of the 52 nationalities to be found among the school's 980 students. Photograph: Bryan O’BrienAmong the many countries his students and their parents have come from are Afghanistan, El Salvador, Georgia, Ghana, Japan, Nepal, the Philippines, Romania, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Turkey, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.
“The school isn’t a melting pot,” Hassett says. “It’s more of a mosaic; an integrated mosaic where each part brings its own difference.” “We had no PE hall until the community centre opened,” Hassett says. “And when you think of the weather in Ireland ...” Located in west county Dublin, Adamstown was the first new town development in Ireland since Shannon town, Co Clare, in the 1960s. Photograph: Bryan O’BrienThere’s also a central playground area, focused around a “train” on which children can play. There are some seating areas with wooden canopies overhead, where construction workers are having lunch. “Creating space for community” reads one hoarding. “Work, Live, Play” reads another.
“Even to build the community centre took more time,” she says. “It opened in 2018. Originally it was going to be two storeys high and double the size. It still can be, hopefully in the future: it’s been built so another floor can go on top. Adamstown is not what I hoped it would be, but I am happy here. I didn’t expect to be in negative equity three years after buying the house, but it is my home. We probably only got out of negative equity recently.
Amelia Lupascu, Alex Cunningham and Nathan Silveira are all transition year students. Lupascu’s family came here from Moldova, and Silveira’s from India. They came to live in Adamstown in recent years, while Cunningham has “lived in Adamstown my whole life. We bought the house before it was even built. I’ve seen everything being built. It was pretty weird, to be honest, looking out at fields, where now there are houses and people.
“My mum looks through the windows to see what other people are cooking,” says Lupascu. “Adamstown is a big town, but quiet. We have a walking group that goes out and picks litter. Everything is very convenient. We have the train station and the bus stop there too.” “Adamstown is really welcoming. They are very accepting of the LGBT community,” says Aislinn. “Everything is very convenient, and in walking distance. We see people from all over the world here.”
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