A SCHOOL IN Monaghan was evacuated earlier today, after a sinkhole opened up at a nearby GAA pitch overnight.

Parents of children at Drumgossatt National School were urged to collect their children as soon as possible, after “the collapse of the Gypsum mine” in the area of the local community centre, the school said on Facebook.

Local Sinn Féin councillor Colm Carthy told TheJournal.ie that there had been subsidence at Magheracloone Mitchells GAA pitch and had affected parts of the clubhouse and community centre.

The Carrickmacross/Kingscourt Road (R179) is currently closed due to the incident, with a diversion in place via Shercock.

“It would have happened during the night,” Carthy said. “There’s quite a significant gash in the pitch where it happened.”

In a statement to The Journal.ie, the Health and Safety Authority said: “We are aware that an old section of the Gypsum mine in the area (no longer in use) has collapsed. We are not aware of injuries as a result and we will follow up with the company as appropriate.”

Gardaí confirmed that officers were at the scene, and said the school had been evacuated as a precaution.

Monaghan County Council also has engineers on site.