Smiles and cheers echoed across the school yard this week as Marown Primary School officially opened its brand-new playground, marking the end of a two-year effort by parents, pupils, and the wider community to restore play facilities for the children.

The playground, on the left side of the Glen Darragh Road school, was unveiled on Tuesday, September 9, with pupils rushing to enjoy the equipment they had helped to design.

The opening followed months of fundraising led by the Marown School Association (MSA), the school’s parent–teacher organisation, after the previous playground was condemned in September 2023.

The old play area was closed after a routine inspection found it required extensive repairs.

Due to the logistics and costs involved in sourcing parts from the original manufacturers, it was deemed too expensive to fix.

With no viable option to repair the equipment, the site was shut down, leaving pupils without a dedicated playground.

Determined to turn that disappointment into something positive, the MSA launched a campaign to fund and design a replacement.

Over the following 14 months, parents, children, staff and supporters worked tirelessly to raise the money needed.

Importantly, the pupils themselves had a voice in the project, contributing their own ideas and preferences for the new play space.

The playground at Marown Primary School is now open, much to the delight of students and parents
The playground at Marown Primary School is now open, much to the delight of students and parents (MSA)

The community’s efforts were bolstered by significant contributions from local supporters.

A trust fund made a sizeable donation, while TransMann provided free offloading and shipping.

Parent Richard Winn, who competed in Le Danns 2024 with sponsorship from his employer Barclays, raised funds which went towards the project.

Meanwhile, IMGold donated a sovereign silver, which was later raffled to boost the total.

The pupils and their families also played a central role in raising funds, organising events such as a Bunny Run, Smarties Challenge, Crazy Hair Day, and Wonka Bar sales.

These fun activities not only helped meet the fundraising target but also gave the children a real sense of ownership over the project.

Tuesday’s ribbon-cutting was led by Eliza Cox, vice-chair of Marown Commissioner and former MSA Chairperson, who had long championed the cause.

For her, and for many involved, the moment symbolised the culmination of years of persistence and teamwork.

The sun did it's best to come out for the opening of the new playground at the Glen Darragh Road school in Glen Vine
The sun did it's best to come out for the opening of the new playground at the Glen Darragh Road school in Glen Vine (MSA)

Samantha Murphy, current Chairperson of the MSA, said the achievement showed the strength of the school community.

‘It is wonderful to see all the hard work and dedication of the school community and the volunteers of the MSA come to fruition,’ she said.

‘This project has truly shown the power of teamwork, with children, parents, staff, and local supporters all pulling together to make the dream of a new playground a reality.

‘Seeing the children finally enjoying the space they helped design makes every bit of effort worthwhile.’

As the ribbon fell and the pupils poured onto the equipment for the first time, the joy on their faces reflected just how much the new facility means.

And it’s likely to be used by plenty of generations to come.