Ballynacargy school ready to mark 100th

As many as 2,000 people are likely to have been educated at St Brigid’s National School in Ballynacargy since it opened.

Sadly, since that opening took place a century ago, there will be many who have passed to their eternal reward.

But, on a more positive note, all those still walking this earth are invited to the party of a lifetime – the celebration planned for September 27 that is to mark the 100th anniversary of the opening of the school.

Excitement is building, reveals Karl Dermody, principal of the school for the last seven years.

“We’ve got one man coming all the way from Canada – and a woman has ordered 16 tickets for members of her family, some of whom are coming from France and Germany; and we have people coming from England.”

The schedule planned for the reunion day will see an open-air Mass celebrated at the school, weather permitting, followed by refreshments in the school.

That evening, there is a function to take place at the Bloomfield House Hotel, with a full sit-down meal and music by The Whiskey River Band – but if you want to get tickets, it’s time to start moving.

“There are 200 or so sold already,” reveals Karl, adding that the maximum number that can be accommodated is 430.

The events are open to all who have been educated at St Brigid’s, although, obviously, given that the evening function is a later event, the idea is that adults only will attend that. The school has still all the old roll books going right back to the opening of the school – and, indeed, roll books predating the move from the original educational establishments serving the village, which were located in what is now the parish hall and the building known as the schoolhouse. “We wouldn’t have a way of contacting everyone who attended the school, but we really want to get the message out that even if you haven’t received a letter to this, you’re still welcome,” says Karl, hoping that through word of mouth – and the power of social media – news of the event will reach as many of the school’s past pupils as possible.

“We have a Facebook page – St Brigid’s Ballynacargy – and our school website, ballynacargyns.ie,” he says, adding that people have been using Facebook to post up old school photographs, and tagging the faces they remember from the past – something which is proving hugely interesting.

“If anyone else has old photographs, we’d like them to do that, or if they prefer, if they drop them into us here at the school, we will copy them,” he continues, going on to reveal that the plan is to have a slideshow of old pictures from the school showing throughout the evening at the reunion function.

A bus is to leave Ballynacargy at 7pm for the function and if there’s enough interest, a second bus too will be laid on. Bookings for bus transport will also need to be made in advance, but the function ticket cost of €40 includes the bus fare.

• To email photos or to book tickets, there is a dedicated gmail address: ballynacargyschoolreunion@gmail.com.

The facebook page is: www.facebook.com/brigid’s.bal and the school website is www.ballynacargyns.ie/