Children and parents in Tydavnet have been left in limbo since their pre-school and afterschools club didn't open this academic year. And, most of the staff at The Acorns Montessori have found themselves unemployed while its owner has spent her life savings trying to save her beloved preschool and afterschool. This September, The Acorns in Tydavnet had 32 enrolled in its pre-school and 79 children of school age signed up to attend its afterschools.
The Acorns had been operating from a room in the village's national school since 2011 but, by 2024, fell victim to its own success when numbers grew too big for that space. Management at the national school gave permission to Adrienne Kearns to erect a modular building in school grounds but that offer was withdrawn just as the new school term was about to begin. Then, when the local Tidy Towns committee offered lands they were leasing to The Acorns, the owners of the land refused permission. Adrienne told Northern Sound she has spent her life savings on buying the modular building and on planning apps, fire certs and all associated charges. And she says while parents' lives have been severely disrupted by all the upheaval it is her staff and the children she worries about most:
