Laios school to mark 75th milestone with 75 km epic run

The Knock NS school community is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year with an epic challenge in October.

To commemorate and celebrate this major school milestone, the Knock NS parents' association is hosting a challenge fundraiser called 75km for 75 years in the Slieve Bloom Mountains, followed by a walk in Spink near Abbeyleix.

The plan is to cover a distance of 75km over two weekends. Nine volunteers have put their hands up to walk the Slieve Bloom Way, over two days, the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, October 4 and 5.

The aim is to walk from Glenbarrow to Kinnity on day one (40.5km), and then from Kinnity back to Glenbarrow via Mockinew on day two - just an easy 29km!

The commemorative walk concludes on Saturday, October 18. Every June the parents' association holds a local 5km race that ends at the school. The 2025 edition will make up the last 5km of the challenge by the volunteers on October 18.

Amanda Miller, one of the organisers, gave more details.

“Knock NS Parents Association has a long tradition of being central to many of the physical developments in the school over the years.

“Funds raised in this challenge will be used for improvement projects in the school grounds and play areas. MORE BELOW PHOTO.

Pictured Knock NS Laois Cumann na mBunscol hurling finalists 2025. Pic: Alf Harvey

“We are delighted to partner with the Keeley D Foundation, and will be splitting the funds raised between the parents' association and this incredibly worthy children's charity. The Keeley D Foundation is a non-profit organisation which supports families of children being treated for a terminal cancer diagnosis in a palliative care environment," she said.

The charity was set up to honour the memory of Keeley Durnan from Rush in Co Dublin, who at the age of 16, was diagnosed with a brain tumour. She passed away in July 2023.

As Keeley got weaker and realised she wasn't going to get better, she left a parting wish that her family fundraise and help other sick children.

People can donate to the fundraiser online at www.idonate.ie by searching 75km for 75 years. You can also follow and get more details about the fundraising challenge on facebook.

The parents' association says you can find out more about the Keeley D foundation on their website or on via Facebook MORE BELOW PHOTO

PICTURED: Knock NS class just after the children moved to their new school.

Knock NS is a co-educational school under the patronage of the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin. It has four teachers on staff; three in mainstream and one in Special Educational needs.  There are approximately 60 children currently attending the school.

There has always been a great tradition of education in the Knock locality. As far back as 1849 there was a national school in the area. The school was built in 1950 and replaced a much older school. 

In 1949, Fr Martin Brophy, who was the school manager, lodged £428 in the Hibernian Bank in Abbeyleix. £400 of this was the parish contribution to the building of the school and the balance was the cost of levelling the site. The overall cost was £3650. 

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After almost a decade of asking the Department of Education to fund the provision of an extra classroom and General Purpose room, the Board of Management was informed in 2014 that a grant of €130,000 would be provided to build one 80 metre square classroom to replace the existing prefab. Various other funding sources were needed to allow construction to begin.

Finally, on August 31, 2015, 74 pupils and staff walked into a school fit for the 21st century,