Batt works his magic as school gets go-ahead

HE didn’t quite pull a new building out of his hat but Batt O’Keeffe did bring good news to the children of a school campaigning for a decade for a move from their prefab jungle.

During a visit yesterday to Star of the Sea National School in Passage West, Co Cork, the Education Minister was anxious to find out what the pupils would like from himself and Fianna Fáil colleagues who had joined him.

Pointing to one enthusiastic boy in the senior infants classroom, the minister was given a very clear response from the pupil on his requirements: “Magic tricks!”