Pictures show Louth pupils bid fond farewell as Danny Gallagher retires as Principal of Dulargy NS

An arch of green and yellow balloons awaited Donegal native Danny Gallagher as he entered Dulargy NS for the last day as Principal last Friday morning.

Pupils from the school where he taught for the past seventeen years formed a guard of honour and staff and parents gathered to say farewell to the popular teacher. A Mass of thanksgiving was celebrated in the neighbouring St Mary’s Church by Fr Stephen Duffy PP, with hymns by the school children. Afterwards an assembly and presentation assembly was held in the hall, with a very good turnout of parents to show their appreciation for all the work he had done over the years.

"I’ve had a great time here. I loved every minute of it,” he told The Argus. ”I am sad to leave as I knew from the minute I came here to Dulargy that it really is a special place. There’s a lovely atmosphere and a great community between the teachers, children and parents.” 

A native of Ranafast in the heart of the Donegal Gaeltacht, Danny studied at Carysfort Teaching Training College.

He came to work in Bay Estate School in Dundalk and taught there for twenty years until 2006, before moving to  Dulargy NS. He was appointed principal in 2018, taking over from Harry Marron, who died last year.

While he will miss the school which has been a large part of his life, he says that part of the reason why he retiring now is that he wants to spend “more time walking the beaches and hills of Donegal.”

"I have family and friends abroad and I would like to be travel and visit them.”

He also plans to play a bit of golf, as well as playing and listening to music.

Danny is married to Grainne, a fellow teacher whom he met while working in Bay Estate school. They have two children, Paidi, who lives in Dublin, and Eadaoin, who is in Singapore. 

Taking over as principal is Eimear McGuinness, who was assistant principal in St Fursey’s NS, Haggardstown.