Grant for Tipp school
The RISE Community Fund has awarded a cash grant to Newtown Upper National School 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.
Newtown Upper National School is a welcoming rural primary school located near Carrick-on-Suir in Co Tipperary. The grant will enable the school to move forward with a number of technology investments that are planned to significantly enhance teaching, learning and digital skills development across the school.
Breda Fitzgerald, Principal at Newtown Upper National School, commented: “We are extremely grateful for this grant. This funding will help us provide every child with access to a device, either a laptop or an iPad, to support their learning and digital development. Our core values are that every child learns differently, and we strive to provide every support possible to meet their individual needs. We are fortunate to have a fabulous outdoor after-school service with a trained Forest School teacher, helping children learn and develop in a natural environment.
“In addition, we have introduced the Touch-type Read and Spell (TTRS) programme so that every child can build essential digital skills such as typing, saving files and other core computer competencies, which will stand to them greatly as they develop these skills from a young age.”
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. Newtown Upper National School 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 Tipperary 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.