It is always a pleasure to
acknowledge services rendered to the community in which we live, especially
where those services have extended over many years. So last week when I heard of the retirement
of Mary Malone and Catherine Gillis I felt it appropriate to pay tribute to
Mary, the librarian and Catherine, the teacher as they brought their working
careers to a close.
Catherine Gillis was a young
Catherine Casey living in Church Road when I first knew her. The young national school teacher was then on
the teaching staff of Kilberry National School and our paths crossed when we
were members of the local badminton club.
Many years later and long after my badminton playing days had ended we
were again brought together as members of the Board of Management of St.
Patrick’s National School. As principal
of my old national school she oversaw the transfer from the St. John’s Lane
premises to the spanking new facilities now forming part of the educational
campus on the Monasterevin Road.
Catherine was also in charge of St.
Patrick’s School when the introduction of co-educational schooling was first
mooted for Athy. Thanks to Catherine and
Mary English, Principal of Scoil Mhichil Naofa, the difficulties facing both
schools as they tackled the issues emerging from this realignment were kept to
a minimum. The transition to
co-educational schooling in Athy has now been finalised and with it comes a
choice of schooling which had never before been available to both boys and
girls in Athy and district. Best wishes
to Catherine on her retirement.
I first met Mary Malone when she was
on the staff of the local library in the Town Hall almost 20 years ago. The ever cheerful and helpful Mary soon
transferred for Ballitore where over the last 15 years or so she has played a
prominent role in keeping alive the story of Mary Ledbetter and the Quaker
community which were once central to the life of the south Kildare
village. I have particular reason to be
grateful for Mary’s help over the years for she has always facilitated the
October Bank Holiday Monday tours which are part of the annual Shackleton
Autumn School. The tours include a visit
to Ballitore village and of course the refurbished Mary Ledbetter house in
which the local library is located is always an important part of that
visit. Mary has always gone out of her
way to assist our Shackleton visitors and I and the members of the Shackleton
School Committee are very grateful for her cooperation over the years. Good wishes are extended to Mary on her
retirement.
This week has been an important week
for our local Heritage Centre which organises the annual Shackleton Autumn
School. The Heritage Council of Ireland which
administers the Museum Standards Programme for Ireland has granted Athy Heritage
Centre/Museum interim accreditation. The
citation awarded to the Centre/Museum noted achievements in caring for
collections, museum management and educational exhibitions. Hopefully this interim award will lead in a
few years time to the granting of full museum status, thereby entitling Athy
Heritage Centre/Museum to participate fully in a whole range of inter museum
projects involving Ireland’s leading museums.
It represents a huge step-up from
the small local museum opened in St. Mary’s old school at the back of the
Convent of Mercy in 1983. I remember
spending my Sunday afternoons opening the Museum Room, as it was then called,
and the interest generated amongst the local people who were very supportive of
the project. I should also mention the
late Bertie Doyle and Ken Sales, both of whom were very involved in the
Museum’s early years. It was Gerry Ward,
the then County Manager for Kildare, who allowed the Museum to move after a few
years to the room in the Town Hall which had previously served as the
caretaker’s living quarters. The
subsequent development of the Heritage Centre owes much to the hard work of its
manager, Margaret Walsh and her staff who over the years have done trojan work
in ensuring that this great cultural facility is readily available to locals
and visitors alike.
I received two queries last week,
both from Athy men now living in England.
John Joe Donovan, formerly of Prusselstown, is trying to source a film
of a Barrow rope contest held in 1981.
Apparently contestants had to cross the River Barrow by means of a rope
using their hands and feet. The contest
was won by John Joe who believes it was captured on film. Can you help trace the film? The other query related to a St. Patrick’s
Day Parade organised by Cara, now Aontas Ogra, in or about 1959. It was the first St. Patrick’s Day Parade
organised for many years and went off successfully, despite the then Parish
Priest’s attempt to have it cancelled, claiming it would affect Sunday mass
attendances. Do you recall that parade,
if so I would like to hear from you.
No comments:
Post a Comment