Milltown NS teachers retire after 30 years of service

Music lover Philip Clarke recently retired after 30 years as principal of Milltown NS. Since his appointment as school principal in 1981, Philip has been responsible for the ongoing development of the school to its present outstanding status. At his recent retirement function, speaker after speaker praised him for his unique contribution to school life. Today the school excels academically and culturally and has a relaxed and convivial atmosphere where students and staff get along nicely. The school has earned a reputation for music, handball and sport and many past pupils continue to engage in and promote these cultural pursuits. Philip was born and reared on the shores of Lough Sheelin beside the town of Kilnaleck, where he now lives with his wife, Elizabeth, daughter, Bríd, and son, Philip. He has a keen interest in all aspects of Irish culture. His father played the fiddle and Philip took a keen interest in music from an early age. He got his first 12-bass piano accordion at 14 years of age and soon began to play tunes with local musicians. He later took up playing the piano and has a particular interest in piano accompaniment. As a primary school principal he ensured that music played a major part in school activity. He formed the Breffni Céilí Band to cater for young musicians and 22 years later, it has developed so extensively that bands now exist at U12, 12-15, 15-18 and senior levels. Many of these bands have won county, provincial and all-Ireland accolades and featured on national radio. Philip has played in many céilí bands including The Four Provinces, The Carrick Céilí Band The Congress Céilí Band, The Sheelinside Céilí Band and has also played piano with many of the current set dancing céilí bands. He has adjudicated at Fleadhanna Cheoil at all stages ranging from county to all-Ireland level and has featured extensively on local and national media. He has received many awards including Cavan Person of the Year and various Comhaltas accolades over the years. He has played music at various venues in America including Irish weekend at the Nevele Grand Hotel in the Catskills and the Chicago festival, Caribbean cruise and the fiddle and accordion festival, Shetland. Philip plays music each week in Kilnaleck and has kept the local séisiún (now in Boylan's Lounge) running for the last 10 years. He has always encouraged young and old to play, thus generating a great interest in the music. He continues to teach music for Kilnaleck CCÉ and as youth officer worked tirelessly to put the youth centre stage at last year's All Ireland fleadh Cheoil. He has ensured that many innovative ideas were included in the youth programme including downloadable software to play, print and output midi files of the youth tunes on the fleadh website. He has also ensured that there was a day specially dedicated at Fleadh 2010 to honouring and celebrating the late, great Dr Brian Galligan. Philip has played football from underage to senior level with his club, Ballymachugh, and has played handball with Kilnaleck HC, NUI Maynooth and St Patrick's College, Drumcondra. He has been Cumann na mBunscol handball co-ordinator for County Cavan for the last 20 years and promoted the game extensively especially, at Milltown NS. The board of management, parents and staff thanked Mr Clarke for his service to the school and wished him a happy, fulfilling retirement.