This article is from page 25 of the 2009-10-06 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 25 JPG
STAFF and students, both past and present, gathered in Newmarket-on- Fergus on Sunday to celebrate the SOth anniversary of Scoil Na Maigh- dine Mhuire.
The present school was originally opened on February 28, 1960 by then Minster for Education Dr Patrick Hillery, and by then Bishop of Kil- laloe Most Revd Dr J Rogers.
Records, however, show that pri- mary schools were run in Newmar- ket as early as 1826, while during the 1840s separate schools for boys and girls were also established.
That school, established under the auspices of the National Board, ca- tered for 236 boys and 223 girls and was staffed by just three teachers.
Scoil Na Maighdine Mhuire cur- rently has 182 students, 12 teachers
and five special needs assistants.
The opening of the school in 1960 was an event captured on camera by a local man Timmy O’Connell. The large crowd, including Bishop of Kil- laloe Dr Willie Walsh, that attended Sunday’s event, viewed the recording as part of the celebrations.
“The kids were really enthralled by it. Obviously the school building was different but many aspects of the streetscape were the same,” ex- plained principal Ann McMahon.
Prior to anniversary celebrations, the school wrote to former students and staff members to ask them to submit their favourite memories of their time at Scoil Na Maighdine Mhuire.
“We wrote to many of the people that would have been students in 1960 and they had some striking memories. Many of them talked
about the door separating the boys and the girls school and how you didn’t dare cross that door. In 2001 the school went co-ed and you could say the door was opened and that was a significant development,’ said yauilee
Former staff members also contrib- uted to the process with many high- lighting the school’s success in sport and drama.
“The school was particularly strong on drama. There was a teacher, Ms Dympna Hastings and she wrote all the plays. They had great success with some very accomplished per- formances. They even performed at the Gate Theatre in Dublin, which was an extraordinary achievement for the school,’ added Ann.
Former principal Padraig Crim- mins also submitted a detailed docu- ment outlining the history of the
school and it’s success on the hurling field during the 1980s.
A spirit of innovations still thrives at the school.
“We have interactive white boards in every classroom, a state of the art computer room and we are also a green school,’ explained Ann.
Ann was also quick to credit the role played by staff, parents and the school’s board of management.
She also admitted that Sunday was a very proud day for everyone asso- ciated with the school.
‘Absolutely it was. My mother used to say that too much pride was a sin, but I think she would forgive me it oye aN ice k- hia