Killarney

By Michelle Crean
<h3>Friday was a day of very mixed emotions for retiring school principal Proinsias Mac Curtain as the school community said a fond farewell.</h3>
He got a wonderful send off in Gaelscoil Faithleann on Friday morning last with cake, music, speeches and some tears.
All the children sat in the hall and sang some traditional Irish songs inspired by the John Spillane collection. His wife Karen and children Ruadhán, Meadhbh, and Cormac, were guests of honour.
Local principals including Colm Ó Súilleabháin from St Oliver’s NS, Paul Horan from Holy Family NS Rathmore, Mary Brosnan from The Mon, Brian O&#8217;Sullivan from Scoil Bhride Loreto, Alison Coffey of Loughquittane NS, Maria Breen, Tiernaboul NS, and Conor Gleeson from Lissivigeen NS, attended to say farewell to a great friend.
&#8220;Local musicians who play with Proinsias on a regular basis turned up and this was a surprise,&#8221; his colleague Lisa Ní Iarlaithe told the Killarney Advertiser.
&#8220;The school staff and Seán Ó Luanaigh, the Chair of the Board of Management, were all in attendance too.&#8221;
Every child in the school drew a portrait of their príomhoide and they were all hung in the hall as well as some photos of Proinsias from when he was a small school boy right up to the present day.
&#8220;He really enjoyed looking at these surprises on the day. The children presented him with a beautiful piece of slate with a poem close to his heart, a huge card signed by all the children and staff and a cake with the school crest and a feadóg mhór and music notes.&#8221;
Later that evening the Board of Management treated Proinsias to an evening in the Great Southern Killarney.
&#8220;It was a bittersweet occasion,&#8221; Lisa, who is taking over as principal of the school, added.

Final send off is bittersweet for Proinsias

DOWNLOAD AND XPLORE