Fond tribute to principal 'who valued children and community'

The approach of retiring Moynalty school principal Kathleen Bradley to children is one that we could all learn from, local parish priest Fr Joe McEvoy suggested at the weekend. Speaking at a function to honour the departing local national school teacher, Fr McEvoy said that Mrs Bradley had a wonderful ability to give full and absolute attention to a child, allowing them to tell their story and listening to them. "The tale of a fall, a bruised limb, a bruised ego, a sick pet, a very ill grandparent, a dead hamster, a new baby, a holiday story - whatever it was, to Kathleen it was the real and important news of the day," Fr McEvoy said. "So often when interviewing teachers do I moan about the lack of child-centredness which is never evident in Kathleen," the local PP added. He said Mrs Bradley put the community at the heart of the school and the school at the heart of the community. "She always supported every community venture and encouraged the children in their participation of them," Fr McEvoy said. "Kathleen was often instrumental in helping the community accept newcomers and helping newcomers to integrate in the community." It was both a natural and appropriate, then, that so many community groups have associated themselves with the retirement presentation, Fr McEvoy said, highlighting the community council, GAA club, soccer and tennis clubs, credit union, Tidy Towns committee and the Steam Threshing group whose museum hosted the event, as well as the Scoil Mhuire school parents' association, under its chairperson, Margaret Lynch. On behalf of all the subscribers, Fr McEvoy presented Mrs Bradley with a specially commissioned brooch based on an engraving from the Donore Hoard. The brooch is after the engraving on a backplate of a door handle from the Donore hoard and was handcrafted by Elaine Hanrahan, Drogheda. The piece is in hallmarked Irish silver with a radial engraving. Responding, Mrs Bradley thanked Fr McEvoy for his kind words and sentiments on behalf of the community. She had special words of thanks for the past and present boards of management, students, parents, caretakers, and her teaching colleagues through the years. She also remembered the late parish priest of Moynalty, Fr Patrick Reilly, who appointed her as a teacher in the school 27 years ago, and appointed her principal in 1996. Mrs Bradley spoke about the pupils, their achievements and the highs and lows of school life, and thanked all the local organisations who were involved both in the presentation and for use of their facilities over the years. Her one disappointment was that a new school, for which the parents, past pupils and people from the wider community had collected €180,000 as a local contribution, had not come to fruition during her stewardship, and she urged the community to follow through with the project.