School's out for popular principals

Within an hour of each other, and a little over 30 metres apart, an end of an era came to pass when two primary school principals in Belturbet were honoured for a lifetime of educating generations of young children who passed through their hands.

Calling time on their respective careers, Beryl Trenier (37 years) of the Fairgreen National School and Maureen Gaffney (33 years) at St Mary's Boys, bade fond farewell and a heartfelt thanks for the innumerable well-wishes received since making the recent announcements.

At the Fairgreen, Reverend Tanya Woods, representing the school's Board of Management, opened proceedings, saying the one thing that rarely falls from memory is the influence a teacher has on a child's life. “You always remember the teacher who encouraged us, praised us, smiled at us, told us it will be okay.”

Teacher Sandra Harding described Mrs Trenier as having been the 'captain' of their faculty ship. “A steady and calming influence” who was a “Trojan worker” behind the scenes, making and taking phonecalls, late night project preparations, and many missed lunches to boot.

Presented with a new pair of fashionable Wellington boots for working on the home farm, Mrs Trenier also received a framed collage of sketches and written memories from the current student body. Mum-of-three Nicola Mee, speaking on behalf of the school's Parents Association, said never was there a day her children didn't want to go to school with Mrs Trenier there. “You ensured every child was treated equally,” she reflected.

Then taking the microphone, Mrs Trenier remarked how “strange” it was to be standing before everyone as Fairgreen principal for the last time. “It's hard to believe that, after 37 years, I may no longer need my red pen and begin a new chapter in my life.”

The Ballintra-native recalled how much had changed since graduating, when her first posting was to teach at Donaghmore, Co Donegal; followed by the Model School in Monaghan; then Fortview NS in Clones; and finally the Fairgreen in Belturbet.

“Parents and children today probably wouldn't recognise the world I started teaching in,” she said, adding that, when she began teaching in Belturbet, almost all the families of pupils had grown up in the area. “Nowadays we're lucky to be a multi-national community and welcome so many people from different countries to our school.”

Mrs Trenier continued: “We've moved from coughs and colds and chicken pox to Covid and lockdown and online learning. We've dealt with all those challenges and overcome them.”

Stand-out moments in her tenure were the opening of the new extension, and celebrating the school's 150-year anniversary.

Becoming emotional briefly, Mrs Trenier paid tribute to her family, for their years of support.

Mrs Trenier reflected fondly on how some of the children educated her - like in intricacies of which Premier League team was better, or even how to 'Floss'- and concluded how, come September 1, she'll think of them all whilst “sitting down with a book - not maths or Irish - and a cup of tea I'll actually get to drink without dashing off.”

A ‘phenomenal’ legacy

A literal stone’s throw away on Railway Road, at St Mary’s Boys NS, the praise of Mrs Gaffney and her influence over the years was equally effusive.

Graduating from Our Lady of Mercy College, Carysfort College in Blackrock, now the Smurfitt Business School, Mrs Gaffney taught for four years at Drumcrave National School before taking a career break and moving to live in Spain where she met future husband Ernesto.

When she returned, Mrs Gaffney taught at Butlersbridge where, after two years, she effectively swapped places with Terry Leddy and moved to Belturbet in 1993, and became principal at St Mary’s in September 2014 following the retirement of Padraig Martin.

Mrs Gaffney was presented with a tall and leafy Sorbus (Sunshine) tree, a gift from Barry Wilson of Arden Broadband, and remarked how was a perfect “symbol” it was.

“Roots and branches, the boys, all of that,” she opined. “We’re proud of them all no matter what path in life they take. What we’re interested in is not what the path is, but that they find a path.”

Mrs Gaffney says the role of a principal often gets “bogged down” in machinations beyond a school’s control, but she could always rely on the children for perspective.

Having paid tribute to her teaching staff, Aine Hickey replied in kind, saying how it was a “privilege” to work with Mrs Gaffney, a person who’d “go to the end of the earth” for the boys she taught.

On behalf of the Board of Management, Darragh McAvinney said the legacy left by Mrs Gaffney was “phenomenal”.

He reflected on the comments made by Fr John McTiernan at a Mass held earlier in the day how the young boys present were more than just a sea of faces, but due to their time at St Mary’s had developed as “individuals” in their own right.