Senator Joey Silver of Wexford County represented Canada
as Kevin Curley Opens Cranmore Pre-school

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Kevin Curley travelled all the way from Dallas, Texas to Belfast to officially open the new pre-school unit at Cranmore Integrated Primary School in Finaghy on 28th August.

Accompanying Kevin on his journey were his friends Brendan Higgins and David Saller. Kevin has proved to be an invaluable supporter of the Integrated Education Fund and contributes to Cranmore through The American Ireland Fund - he is a member of the Texas Chapter.

Cranmore Principal Helen Farrimond said: "We were absolutely delighted that Kevin made the long trip from Dallas to officially open the pre-school unit and we’re very grateful for his generous financial support to help establish the unit. Local parents are very excited about the opening of this integrated pre-school and welcome the opportunity to see their children taught in an environment where diversity is celebrated and child centred learning is encouraged."

The choir of Cranmore put on a special rendition of "She'll Be Coming Round The Mountain" and "The Yellow Rose of Texas" at a ceremony to mark the opening of the new pre-school facility.

Cranmore is the second pre-school in as many months to be opened with grants made available by the Integrated Education Fund (IEF) and The Ireland Funds. The Cranmore unit is part of an overall £461,000 roll-out programme of grants by the IEF to fund new and existing integrated pre-school units across Northern Ireland.

Kevin Curley said: "I was delighted to officially open the Cranmore pre-school unit and to see the very positive contribution that integrated schools like Cranmore are making in building a truly sustainable future for children in Northern Ireland. It's logical that if children from different traditions and cultures play and learn together then as adults they will bring a much more positive contribution to society."

Other pre-school units that will benefit from the cash injection by the IEF are the new facilities at the integrated primary schools Forge and Lough View in Belfast, Millennium at Carryduff, and All Children’s in Newcastle and the existing units at Oakwood in Derriaghy, and at Portadown and Enniskillen.

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