Posted online: Sep 2nd, 2010

Thousands of schoolchildren returned to school in Donegal this week, and at many schools there was a full class of new junior infants.
But at one rural school near Letterkenny, this year’s intake of new pupils amounts to one – bringing the total number of schoolchildren attending to 16.
Gartan National School, nestled on the slopes above Gartan Lake, is one of Donegal’s smallest schools.
At one stage the enrolment was as low as eight, but in recent years it has climbed, and three years ago it became a two teacher school.
This year’s newest pupil is Boyd Russell, and his schooldays are beginning at the start of what is an important time for the school.
“Next year the school will be 100 years old so it will be a very big year for us,” commented principal Caroline Carey.
And the school has never been in better shape. Over the summer the roof was replaced and with new doors and windows were put in, making it look very smart.