Fond farewell for Ashbourne Montessori teacher retiring after almost 40 years of caring for the children of the area

It was the end of an era for an Ashbourne Montessori teacher as she closed her doors after almost 40 years of caring for the children of the area.

Last Friday Pam Blakeney said goodbye to ‘The Children’s House’ the Montessori she has operated from her home for the last 39 years but not before the community came out in force to pay a surprise tribute to the woman who has looked after generations of children in Ashbourne.

Speaking on the occasion she said: “We got the shock of our lives, we just didn’t expect it, I’m here 39 years so I would have looked after children whose children also came to me, Ashbourne is a wonderful community.

“Gillian Boreland has worked tirelessly with me for 29 years. She is an amazing lady and has been a rock and another fantastic lady Noelle came on board with me four years ago.

“We just thought we were going to have lunch with some old friends but then I saw that lots of people had turned up on the green outside my house.

“It was a very poignant day in a lot of ways because I know the families so well, I was just blown away.

“We were presented with three beautiful memory albums each with messages and pictures from children and their families over the years. It is a beautiful legacy for us to have.

“For 39 years I came to work every day and just loved it and not a lot of people can say that, I’m very lucky.”

The education professional says reading about the Montessori method of teaching inspired her to go on and dedicate her life to early learning.

“I read a book about Maria Montessori when I was 16 and I just thought this is terrific and a great way to teach, I was from an era where corporal punishment was in school and Maria Montessori had just a beautiful education and philosophy.”

Pam opened the Children’s House after returning from time spent working in the US as she explains:

“I worked in St Michael’s House and I worked in America in a Jewish school in Manhattan New York.

“I eventually came back to Ireland and my mother was afraid I was going to go back to New York so she encouraged me to renovate some of the family home so I could start my Montessori school.”