Religious holidays like Christmas, St Patrick’s Day, and Shrove Tuesday will no longer be celebrated under new patronage, Catholic schools have warned.
At least two schools are reportedly strongly opposed to the move to transfer one out of eight Catholic primary schools to a non-denominational model.
These include schools in Portmarnock-Malahide-Kinsealy area of north Dublin.
The initiative is part of a plan to reduce the influence of the Catholic Church in primary education by the Department of Education.
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Staff in Scoil an Duinnínigh, a gaelscoil, and St Marnock’s National School have made their opposition clear in letters and meetings with parents, the Irish Independent reports.
This included claims that Christmas celebrations including the annual Christmas fair, carol services, and nativity plays will no longer take place.
Further claims said that St Patrick’s Day, St Brigid’s Day and Easter, including Shrove Tuesday, would no longer be marked.
Scoil an Duinnínigh claimed that Irish greetings referring to God, like dia duit, would no longer be allowed.
The school also said that it hoped to make the patronage change in September 2019 but the Department of Education said there was no such requirement.
The schools claimed that any change of patronage would have a significant effect on management and culture.
