A Waldorf School for Monaghan

2025: We made our big move into the spectacular Wetlands building, which required all hands on deck - many hours of labour and generous donations of materials - to transform the space into the beautiful classrooms they have become.

Our Waldorf (Steiner) primary school is an independent school and receives no funding and operates on not for profit basis. Cygnet's Nest, our Kindergarten, is a community pre-school meaning it too is not for profit.

Donations help us to provide this beautiful and meaningful education to all children who come to us. At present, we are seeking to fundraise for aspects such as:

We are extremely grateful for all support - thank you.

2024: In September we began our first academic year in Derryvally Farmhouse, at the Wetlands in Ballybay. This required planning permission for change of use, along a new fire cert for the building, as well as some essential works such as a fence for the garden. Funds raised from the initial GoFund me campaign went primarily towards these large costs.

2023: Hello! We are so happy that you are reading this!!

We are a group of families in County Monaghan and surrounds, who are setting up a Waldorf preschool and primary school in the county – the first independent school of its kind in the area! We are crowdfunding to help with set up costs - including some building works and legal fees at our space in Ballybay – so that we will be open, and ready to learn, with our first group of children this September 2023. Please consider donating and sharing our vision – see below for more details xx

An independent school for Monaghan

Our recent history begins in a cosy nook of a special place in Glaslough, a little over a year ago. Of course what led us to this place, and all those who came before us - not least to mention Rudolf Steiner, way back around a hundred years or so - is a wonderful story, but that is for another day.

What we found in that cosy room, on a chilly March morning, was what turned out to be an energy force to be reckoned with. We have come together as a group, become a part of one another's lives, supported each other - oh, and started a school!

Over the last year, our parent/child group has provided the first foray into 'school' for many children, while providing a safe unschooling space for others, and supporting some with their homeschooling journey.

Now we are opening our official school - and we need your support. Our kindergarten (ECCE pre-school years along with junior and senior infant years) and our fledgling primary school class one and two (first and second class equivalent) are beginning in September 2023 in the Farmhouse at the Ballybay Wetlands Centre, Co. Monaghan. We have purposefully chosen a geographically central location within Monaghan, as our initial core group are spread throughout the county. However, we have families joining us from Cavan, Louth, Armagh and beyond.

We are asking for your help - funding is limited for an independent school, and as inclusivity and accessibility are crucial to us, we must keep our costs low.

Your donation will help to cover:

- Legal costs and professional fees

- Building works to kit out farmhouse and outdoor space

- Teacher training and support

- Sourcing local, natural materials for creating a space for students to learn

- Procuring furniture, supplies and more

Above all, we need your support. Please consider donating to our crowdfunder, and sharing it with anyone else you think would like to help. No amount is too small, we have a lot to do in order to get the space ready for September and every little helps x

There are many other ways to join us too, and we look forward to holding festivals, talks, and more as we build our school community further. If you have a skill or resource to offer - we would be delighted to hear from you. We are coming together for many a meitheal over the summer for some hard work, meeting new people, and having a wonderful time. Contact us at [email redacted] if you'd like to be involved. You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more updates x

Thanks for reading and for any support you can offer!

Love,

All the families at Monaghan Waldorf School