Before any design work began, the SchoolsGrass team visited the Booterstown campus to understand how the existing grass area was being used - and how it wasn’t. Teachers explained that the space was often out of action after rainfall, sometimes for days at a time. Even when the weather cleared, the soggy ground meant children couldn’t run safely without bringing half the field back into the classrooms on their shoes.
The school wanted to protect the beauty of the space while making it far more practical. The goal was simple: create an all-weather surface that allowed children to play, move and gather freely without worrying about the Irish climate. At the same time, it needed to be visually engaging - something that felt uplifting rather than functional.
From the outset, the design focused on encouraging movement, imagination and outdoor activity. SchoolsGrass proposed dividing the large field into purposeful zones, each offering a different way for pupils to interact with the space.
The centrepiece is a small artificial-grass pitch, complete with crisp white goal lines integrated directly into the surface. This pitch gives pupils a safe, consistent and even playing field for football, tag and other games - no divots, no muddy goalmouths, no slippery sprints. It instantly became a natural gathering point during break times.
Wrapping around the pitch is a blue walking lane, a feature that brings both structure and colour to the yard. It gives pupils a space to walk laps, chat with friends or cool down after active games. The blue lane also acts as a visual boundary, subtly guiding movement and helping staff supervise the area more easily. Because it borders several adjoining play zones, it ties the whole design together.
One of the standout new spaces is a multi-lane activity zone featuring vibrant stripes of blue, orange, red and black grass. These lanes invite races, relays, team challenges and free play. Teachers have already begun using them for PE warm-ups and movement-based activities. Pupils, on the other hand, simply see a place that encourages fun - and that’s exactly the point.
To add a playful finishing touch, a colourful hopscotch layout was integrated into another part of the yard. It’s a simple design, but one that never goes out of style, offering a nostalgic and engaging activity that draws in pupils of all ages.
Every surface chosen for the Booterstown project was selected with durability and safety in mind. SchoolsGrass installations are engineered to withstand the daily demands of school yards - the sprints, the sudden stops, the ball games, the sheer volume of children moving across them at once.
The artificial grass used on this project allows for year-round play thanks to its excellent water permeability. Rainwater passes quickly through the surface and drains away, meaning the yard is ready to use shortly after rainfall rather than staying unusable for hours or days. The surface remains even, slip-resistant and comfortable underfoot, no matter the weather.
This drainage performance, combined with the shock-absorbing properties of the underlay beneath key areas, creates a safer, more predictable environment for active play.
Perhaps the biggest shift for Our Lady of Mercy has been reliability. Gone are the days when teachers had to decide whether the grass was “too wet” or whether uniforms would survive break time. Outdoor play is no longer dependent on the weather, which has had a meaningful impact on the school day.
From a maintenance point of view, the change is equally significant. There’s no mowing, no patch repairs, no dealing with bare spots where the grass simply couldn’t keep up with footfall. The artificial grass stays bright, even and inviting throughout the year, requiring only basic upkeep.
For the pupils, though, the benefit is far simpler: they finally have a yard full of colour, games and movement - a space that encourages activity instead of limiting it.
The transformation at Our Lady of Mercy Convent School shows exactly what’s possible when a natural grass area is reimagined with function and creativity at the forefront. What was once a weather-dependent field is now a vibrant, multi-use play space that supports everything from football and races to social play and supervised walking.
It’s safe. It’s dependable. It’s colourful. And most importantly, it reflects the school’s commitment to giving pupils a bright, engaging environment to learn, grow and move in.
For SchoolsGrass, it was a privilege to deliver a project that will continue serving the school community for years to come - rain, shine or anything in between.
Get in touch with SchoolsGrass to discuss a design that suits your space, your students and your budget.
