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Gorey Community School celebrates careers of four teachers at retirement ceremony

Rory McCarthy (Deputy Principal), Stella Kehoe, Linda McEvoy, Mary Fitzpatrick, Michael Finn (Principal), Freda Conboy-Yague, Rosemary Lenehan and Sean MacCormaic as presentations are made to four teachers who are retiring at the end of the school term in Gorey Community School at an event in the Amber Springs Hotel. Photo: Jim Campbell

Pictured at the Gorey Community School's teachers retirement function in the Amber Springs on Friday evening were Emily Fairweather, Maria O'Loughlin, Ciara Walsh and Eleanor O'Mahony. Pic: Jim Campbell

At the Gorey Community School's teachers retirement function in the Amber Springs on Friday evening were Brendan Bonner, Paddy McNulty and Kevin Gahan. Pic: Jim Campbell

Pictured at the Gorey Community School's teachers retirement function in the Amber Springs on Friday evening were Therese MacCormaic, Nian MacCormaic, Laura Molloy, Deborah Cosgrave. Pic: Jim Campbell

Mary Redmond, Gail Redmond and Marian Kavanagh attended the Gorey Community School's teachers retirement function in the Amber Springs on Friday evening. Pic: Jim Campbell

Theresa Kenny, Miriam Walsh, Michelle Siggins and Kate Moran attended the Gorey Community School's teachers retirement function in the Amber Springs on Friday evening. Pic: Jim Campbell

Jackie Meehan and Margaret Corcoran were at the Gorey Community School's teachers retirement function in the Amber Springs on Friday evening. Pic: Jim Campbell

Damien Challonder, Tommy Kavanagh and John Bermingham were at the Gorey Community School's teachers retirement function in the Amber Springs on Friday evening. Pic: Jim Campbell

thumbnail: Rory McCarthy (Deputy Principal), Stella Kehoe, Linda McEvoy, Mary Fitzpatrick, Michael Finn (Principal), Freda Conboy-Yague, Rosemary Lenehan and Sean MacCormaic as presentations are made to four teachers who are retiring at the end of the school term in Gorey Community School at an event in the Amber Springs Hotel. Photo: Jim Campbell
thumbnail: Pictured at the Gorey Community School's teachers retirement function in the Amber Springs on Friday evening were Emily Fairweather, Maria O'Loughlin, Ciara Walsh and Eleanor O'Mahony. Pic: Jim Campbell
thumbnail: At the Gorey Community School's teachers retirement function in the Amber Springs on Friday evening were Brendan Bonner, Paddy McNulty and Kevin Gahan. Pic: Jim Campbell
thumbnail: Pictured at the Gorey Community School's teachers retirement function in the Amber Springs on Friday evening were Therese MacCormaic, Nian MacCormaic, Laura Molloy, Deborah Cosgrave. Pic: Jim Campbell
thumbnail: Mary Redmond, Gail Redmond and Marian Kavanagh attended the Gorey Community School's teachers retirement function in the Amber Springs on Friday evening. Pic: Jim Campbell
thumbnail: Theresa Kenny, Miriam Walsh, Michelle Siggins and Kate Moran attended the Gorey Community School's teachers retirement function in the Amber Springs on Friday evening. Pic: Jim Campbell
thumbnail: Jackie Meehan and Margaret Corcoran were at the Gorey Community School's teachers retirement function in the Amber Springs on Friday evening. Pic: Jim Campbell
thumbnail: Damien Challonder, Tommy Kavanagh and John Bermingham were at the Gorey Community School's teachers retirement function in the Amber Springs on Friday evening. Pic: Jim Campbell
Amy LewisGorey Guardian

Staff at Gorey Community School celebrated the long and fruitful careers of four of their colleagues as they marked their retirement from teaching recently.

At a special ceremony in the Amber Springs Hotel, staff from Gorey Community School gathered to mark the retirements of Spanish teacher Freda Conboy-Yague, Economics and Maths teacher Rosemary Lenehan, Home-Ec teacher Mary Fitzpatrick and Maths teacher Sean MacCormaic. The four teachers were joined by their family members for the momentous occasion.

All four of the teachers taught their subjects up to Leaving Certificate higher level. While Mary and Sean finished up in their roles last year, Rosemary and Freda are currently teaching and will finish in August 2023. At the retirement ceremony, each one of them was presented with a gift voucher from the school’s Board of Management and a cheque from the school staff.

“They’re outstanding teachers, very dedicated and very committed to Gorey Community School. They will be very difficult to replace,” said Principal Michael Finn.

Mary, Freda and Rosemary spent the majority of their teaching career at Gorey Community School, while Sean has worked there for seven years, having previously taught at Good Counsel College, New Ross.

“The retirement ceremony is a very formal occasion and really respectfully marks and acknowledges a long career. All of them had the average of about 35 years teaching. It is really important to acknowledge all of their work,” added Mr Finn.

Mr Finn and several teachers shared some parting thoughts about each of the four teachers in a series of speeches, while the teachers themselves also took the time to reflect on their roles in the school on the evening.