RISE Community Fund Supports St Maryʼs National School Tagoat with New Cash Grant

The RISE Community Fund has awarded a cash grant to St Mary’s National School Tagoat as part of its new national programme to provide cash injections to schools in every county throughout 2026.

Supporting technology investments that enhance digital learning and maximise the benefits of high-speed broadband connectivity, The RISE Community Fund is backed by National Broadband Ireland and partners involved in the delivery of the Government’s National Broadband Plan, including KPMG, DreamDev Technologies, TLI Group, Entegro, Obelisk and Circet.

St Mary’s National School is a welcoming rural primary school located Tagoat, Co Wexford. The grant will enable the school to move forward with investments in assistive technology for the school and its students.

Fiona Whelan, Principal at St Mary’s National School Tagoat, commented: “We are extremely grateful to the RISE Community Fund for this €1,000 grant and for the positive impact that high-speed fibre broadband is having on our school. The funding will allow us to purchase some laptops and headphones to support students who would benefit from assistive technology but may face long waits for formal assessments. 

“Our Learning Support Teacher and IT Coordinator, Paul O'Keefe, has played a significant role in developing our use of technology to support learning and identifying how these resources can make a real difference for students who need additional support. These resources will help pupils access the curriculum more effectively, complete classroom work with greater confidence and independence, and fully participate in school life. We look forward to seeing the positive difference this investment will make for our students.

Established by David McCourt, the RISE Community Fund has awarded close to 200 cash grants nationwide to rural schools, community groups, farms, small businesses and social enterprises seeking to use technology to scale the positive impact of their work. 

Commenting on the grant, David McCourt, Chairman of National Broadband Ireland and founder of the RISE Community Fund, said: “When we created RISE, it was with a clear purpose - to ensure that rural communities could fully benefit from the transformative power of connectivity. As the National Broadband Plan progresses towards completion, it’s vital that our schools are equipped not just with access to broadband, but with the technology that allows them to use it effectively. St Mary’s National School Tagoat has done a fantastic job investing in technology to empower their young pupils, and now we’re delighted to accelerate that further with this grant.”

Through its 2026 national schools programme, RISE aims to ensure that children in rural Ireland can fully benefit from digital connectivity and develop the skills needed to thrive in a modern, technology-driven world.

National Broadband Ireland is encouraging all Wexford residents to visit nbi.ie and check their Eircode to see if they are ready to connect and to find out more about placing an order.

Further information about the RISE Community Fund is available at www.riseglobalfoundation.com.