Scoil Mhuire staffroom bids retirees adieu

THE classrooms of Scoil Mhuire, Ennistymon are missing two of the school’s most distinctive voices this term, following the retirement of Helen Cleary and Mary O’Flaherty.

“Helen Cleary and Mary O’Flaherty were pillars of the school community and we will miss their presence in the staffroom and their warm, accessible and caring natures. Their selfless service to Scoil Mhuire and expertise in their subjects was evident to all who knew them and were lucky enough to have been their pupils. Both Helen and Mary had a wonderful passion for their respective subjects and worked tirelessly to instil in their pupils values, knowledge, hopes and dreams and a hunger to learn,” said fellow teacher, Mary McGlennon.
“As a past pupil of Helen’s and now an Irish teacher myself, I can say with absolute certainty she was a teacher of extraordinary ability. A gentlewoman in every sense, her unfailing love of the Irish language was easily and naturally impressed on her students. In her career, she took a very active part in the promotion of Irish cultural activities and with her keen knowledge of politics and current affairs, she encouraged many a classroom debate as Gaeilge. Her appreciation of local community, history, heritage and culture was transmitted to her students in lessons that were fluid and unforced, she was a natural in the classroom, a born teacher,” Ms McGlennon continued.
For the past number of years Helen has been year head to first years, a role in which she has thrived.
“She is a wonderful mentor and mother figure to them. She always took the time to have an individual word and caring pat on the back in their first tentative year in secondary school. She had a deep interest in all her students and took great pride in their successes and efforts. With her constant sincerity, commitment, passion for her subject and dedication to hard work, Helen has left a legacy which won’t be forgotten by her colleagues and countless pupils whose lives she helped mould,” Ms McGlennon outlined.
Mary O’Flaherty too will be remembered in Scoil Mhuire.
“She is known for her passion for English, her creativity, spontaneity, hunger for knowledge but above all, for her enthusiasm in teaching a subject loved by hordes of students, thanks to her. Mary always went above and beyond the requirements of a teacher in her efforts and successes in imbuing students with an enduring passion for literature.
“Students were automatically enthralled and awestruck at her keen knowledge of her subject and she never commanded respect but rather gained it as she challenged, motivated and deepened students’ appreciation of language and literature. She loved new challenges and always continued to gain knowledge in her field, relentlessly updating her skills and instilling a hunger in her students to do the same. She encouraged pupils to push beyond what they perceived as their talent level, her motto often heard in the classroom was ‘can’t is a myth whose real name is won’t’,” Ms McGlennon recalled.
“Mary always assumed pupils would do their best and they did. Her goal wasn’t an A grade in a Leaving Cert paper, it was to teach her students how to think, criticise and analyse, so that their lives would be enriched and their minds open. Mary was what every teacher would wish to be and what generations of students admired, simply put, she was brilliant and has altered the course of many lives who have been fortunate to sit in her classroom,” Ms McGlennon concluded.
Helen and Mary along with Mary Nolan and Moira Hillery were honoured by colleagues, pupils and past pupils at the beginning of the summer. Helen and Mary will officially celebrate their retirement later in the year.