"We're the oldest established Naionra outside the Gaeltacht areas," says Mary Byrne in the Co Waterford village of Kilmacthomas.
This month, after more than a decade in temporary premises, and after two years of intensive fund-raising, the determination of a group of parents to acquire permanent premises for an Irish-language playschool for their children has paid off.
A purpose-built, Montessori-equipped playschool building has taken shape on the outskirts of the village. It is the only one in the extensive area between Waterford and Dungarvan.
"Rural areas are generally very disadvantaged with regard to preschools, compared to urban areas," points out Mary, one of two Montessori-trained teachers who will supervise the Naionra.
Because of the growing recognition at official level of the value of pre-school facilities, the project got off to a good start. The county council provided a site, the South Eastern Health Board came up with a grant of £10,000 and the County Enterprise Board found £5,000.
After that, it was down to local effort by the tiny community.
Local businesses sponsored the windows, local tradesmen put in the timber floors, other locals painted the building with materials donated by the village hardware shop.
For two years tickets were sold, benefit soccer matches were played, the village fire brigade held a ladder climb - any and every fund-raising activity was employed until the additional £12,000 needed was gathered.
The Naionra idea was established by a group of parents in 1982, and in its first years, using a spare classroom lent by the local community school, it catered for 10 children.
It had to move on eventually, due to school expansion, and rented small premises in the village. By 1996-1997 the number of children using the facility was 28. There are now 38 on the list for attendance from next September.
It is a non-profit operation, managed by a committee of parents, so charges can be kept to a very reasonable £10 a week, making it accessible to many in this disadvantaged rural area.
The children, aged from three years to five, almost all start off with no Irish. "But they have huge comprehension, and the Irish is associated with fun, which is a good thing," Mary Byrne points out.