A message from St Colman’s: ‘never lose your sparkle’ Mary!
A week of events to mark the retirement of Mary Garvey as principal of St Colman’s NS, Mullingar, culminated in a Mass in St Paul’s Church on Friday last. Students and staff, past and present, parents, families and well-wishers gathered to paid tribute.
Very Rev Phil Gaffney, administrator of Mullingar parish, recalled that Mary was employed as a 20-year-old by Sean McCoy, the then principal of St Colman’s, when she graduated in 1984. He spoke of her passion for art, music and history, her dedication to children in need of special attention and her devotion to Catholic values that she upheld in the school.
Her retirement will leave a large gap in the lives of all of us, he said.
Past pupils carried symbols of Mary’s life and work to the altar. Barry Martin and his daughters, Holly and Katie, brought a recorder and a programme from a recent production of Peter Pan, symbolising Mary’s love of music, drama and poetry.
Linda Callaghan and her son Adam carried up a book and pen to signify Mary’s love of literacy. During her tenure, Mary introduced many new initiatives including Reading Recovery to help those struggling with reading.
Laura Daly Devine and her children, Zoe, Luke and Alfie, brought up a laptop to signify Mary’s interest in IT. Marie O’Sullivan championed IT development in the school and that was carried on by Mary, putting emphasis on children being creators, not just consumers of technology.
Eithne Spellman who was taught by Mary, and her son, Tiernan, who is starting junior infants this year, brought up a paintbrush and memory book. The congregation was told that Mary’s husband, Jerry, and the school caretaker, Kevin, knew how she was forever moving walls, putting up a door or giving somewhere “a small lick of paint”. She organised for local artists to come to the school and had a new kitchen installed to give children another way to express themselves. Mary spent hours compiling memory books for past staff to treasure and now it was her turn to be the recipient.
Oliver McNamara and Orla Mahon, students of Mary’s last class, carried up a copy of weaving wellbeing to the altar. This is a programme Mary introduced to help develop resilience, nurture self-esteem and self-worth and to give students the tools to navigate life’s difficulties.
Lorraine Moloney, a teacher who was taught by Mary, along with her daughter, Lucy, brought up a bible and a child’s cross, symbols of Mary’s faith.
Sixth class pupils, Elliott Harte and Nicola Byrne, carried up Mary’s goalie gloves. Every year, Mary stood in goals for the annual penalty shoot-out and was seen by the children as being “full of fun”.
Mary first came to the school in 1983 as a student teacher and joined the staff a year later. Adam McNally, a past pupil of Mary’s and a student teacher, carried a planning folder while Katie Gavin, a member of the teaching staff, carried a cuntas miosuil to the altar.
Ger Beehan, the new principal, walked to the altar with his daughter, Kathleen and Mary’s nephew, Harry Tilson. Kathleen is due to start in St Colman’s in September and Harry graduates in June.
Readings were by Marie O’Sullivan and Sandra Dospial. Prayers of the Faithful were read by Marah Millare, Molly Rose Doyle, Jack Lyons, Grace Farry, Sophie O’Keeffe, Leon Skovorodka, Felix Ganzo Purcell and Maddie O’Brien. Talita Kelly and Zuzanna Wojtniak and Jason McConville, and Christian Conway provided the musical accompaniment during the offertory procession.
Members of the student council, introduced by Mary, presented her with gifts including a piece of jewellery with the entreaty ‘never lose your sparkle’.