News
Final send off is bittersweet for Proinsias
By Michelle Crean
Friday was a day of very mixed emotions for retiring school principal Proinsias Mac Curtain as the school community said a fond farewell.
A fond farewell at Gaelscoil Faithleann for Principal Proinsias Mac Curtain who is presented with a cake from new Principal Lisa Ní Iarlaithe and pupils at the school on Friday as he steps down as principal after 33 years. Photo: Marie Carroll-O'Sullivan
Present principals unite at Gaelscoil Faithleann to celebrate with Principal Proinsias Mac Curtain on his retirement on Friday. Back row l-r: Colm Ó Súilleabháin (St Oliver’s NS) Paul Horan (Holy Family NS Rathmore) Mary Brosnan (The Mon) Brian O'Sullivan (Scoil Bhride Loreto) Alison Coffey (Loughquittane NS) Maria Breen (Tiernaboul NS) and Conor Gleeson (Lissivigeen NS). Front row l-r: Proinsias Mac Curtain (Gaelscoil Faithleann) and Lisa Ni Iarlaithe (Gaelscoil Faithleann). Photo: Marie Carroll-O'Sullivan
Three cheers from all 245 pupils at Gaelscoil Faithleann for Principal Proinsias Mac Curtain (centre) as he retires from the school after 33 years. Photo: Marie Carroll-O'Sullivan
Sam Maguire makes a special appearance at the Great Southern Killarney where staff from Gaelscoil Faithleann gathered for the retirement of principal Proinsias Mac Curtain after 33 years’ service. Photo: Marie Carroll-O'Sullivan
A musical departure at Gaelscoil Faithleann as Principal Proinsias Mac Curtain (right) retires after 33 years. Photo: Marie Carroll-O'Sullivan
Past and present pupil mother and daughter Aisling (left) and Alanna Collins (right) pictured with Principal Proinsias Mac Curtain at Gaelscoil Faithleann on Friday for his retirement celebrations at the school. Photo: Marie Carroll-O'Sullivan
Pictured with his family Principal Proinsias Mac Curtain (centre) retires from Gaelscoil Faithleann after 33 years. From l-r were: Cormac Meadhbh Karen and Ruadhán. Photo: Marie Carroll-O'Sullivan
A musical affair as Principal Proinsias Mac Curtain (seated centre) retires from Gaelscoil Faithleann after 33 years. Photo: Marie Carroll-O'Sullivan
A fond farewell at Gaelscoil Faithleann for Principal Proinsias Mac Curtain who is presented with a cake from new Principal Lisa Ní Iarlaithe and pupils at the school on Friday as he steps down as principal after 33 years. Photo: Marie Carroll-O'Sullivan
Present principals unite at Gaelscoil Faithleann to celebrate with Principal Proinsias Mac Curtain on his retirement on Friday. Back row l-r: Colm Ó Súilleabháin (St Oliver’s NS) Paul Horan (Holy Family NS Rathmore) Mary Brosnan (The Mon) Brian O'Sullivan (Scoil Bhride Loreto) Alison Coffey (Loughquittane NS) Maria Breen (Tiernaboul NS) and Conor Gleeson (Lissivigeen NS). Front row l-r: Proinsias Mac Curtain (Gaelscoil Faithleann) and Lisa Ni Iarlaithe (Gaelscoil Faithleann). Photo: Marie Carroll-O'Sullivan
Three cheers from all 245 pupils at Gaelscoil Faithleann for Principal Proinsias Mac Curtain (centre) as he retires from the school after 33 years. Photo: Marie Carroll-O'Sullivan
Sam Maguire makes a special appearance at the Great Southern Killarney where staff from Gaelscoil Faithleann gathered for the retirement of principal Proinsias Mac Curtain after 33 years’ service. Photo: Marie Carroll-O'Sullivan
A musical departure at Gaelscoil Faithleann as Principal Proinsias Mac Curtain (right) retires after 33 years. Photo: Marie Carroll-O'Sullivan
Past and present pupil mother and daughter Aisling (left) and Alanna Collins (right) pictured with Principal Proinsias Mac Curtain at Gaelscoil Faithleann on Friday for his retirement celebrations at the school. Photo: Marie Carroll-O'Sullivan
Pictured with his family Principal Proinsias Mac Curtain (centre) retires from Gaelscoil Faithleann after 33 years. From l-r were: Cormac Meadhbh Karen and Ruadhán. Photo: Marie Carroll-O'Sullivan
A musical affair as Principal Proinsias Mac Curtain (seated centre) retires from Gaelscoil Faithleann after 33 years. Photo: Marie Carroll-O'Sullivan
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'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.
"Local musicians who play with Proinsias on a regular basis turned up and this was a surprise," his colleague Lisa Ní Iarlaithe told the Killarney Advertiser.
"The school staff and Seán Ó Luanaigh, the Chair of the Board of Management, were all in attendance too."
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.
"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."
Later that evening the Board of Management treated Proinsias to an evening in the Great Southern Killarney.
"It was a bittersweet occasion," Lisa, who is taking over as principal of the school, added.
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Local Hollywood A-lister Michael Fassbender is in the final preparation stages for his second appearance at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The iconic endurance race is celebrating its 100th edition next weekend.
The Fossa star has already arrived in the famous French twon where he is involved in a week-long series of engagements including drivers’ parades, autograph sessions and more serious appointments like car safety checks, practice and qualifying.
Like last year, when he finished 16th in the LMGTE Am class, Fassbender has been entered in to the event by the German Proton Competition team with Estonian Martin Rump and the Austrian Richard Lietz.
Fassbender dreams of following the trajectory of fellow Hollywood actors Patrick Dempsey who was second in LMGTE Am class in 2016 and Paul Newman who finished second overall in 1979.
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Ireland’s oldest citizen has Killarney connections
Ireland’s oldest woman met with President Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin this week. Máirín Hughes, who turned 109 on May 22 has strong Killarney connections. The previous record […]
Ireland’s oldest woman met with President Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin this week.
Máirín Hughes, who turned 109 on May 22 has strong Killarney connections.
The previous record was held by 107-year-old Nancy Stewart who died on September 10 2021.
Although born in Belfast, Máirín went to school in the Mercy Convent. Her father was a customs and excise officer and the family moved around a lot eventually coming to Killarney after spells in County Down and Dublin.
Her mother came from the Rathmore area and her father was from Newmarket in County Cork.
She attended the Mercy Convent and has, in previous interviews, recalled growing up on the shores of Lough Lein.
“Neighbours who had three children were given the job of taking me to school,” she said. “They were annoyed because the children were going to school for two or three years but I was put in to the same class as them – my mother had taught me.”
In 2021 she featured in the book ‘Independence Memories: A People’s Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation’, sharing stories of being kept in school in Killarney during an attack on the RIC barracks down the road.
In 1924 she started a degree in science and a diploma in education at University College Cork, before working in the pathology lab in University College Cork’s Department of Medicine for 16 years.
last year she recalled her story on the podcast: ‘Living History – Irish Life and Lore’.
During the broadcast she talked about her parents’ membership of the Gaelic League in 1910; the Spanish Flu in Ireland in 1918; The Black and Tans in Killarney in 1921; the early days of the new Free State; Eucharistic Congress in Dublin in 1932, visiting the Basket Islands in 1929; and working in the UCC medical laboratory from 1932 until 1948.
This week President Michael D. Higgins hosted an afternoon tea event to celebrate the important role that a variety of people have and can play in different communities and Máirín was among the guests of honour.
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