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Ursula prepares for retirement after 42 years at The Mercy

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Most of us will chose one or even two career paths in some shape or form throughout our lives, exploring different avenues and sometimes in opposite directions.

42 years of dedication to any one establishment, to any one community, requires a huge level of commitment, devotion and loyalty. My lens and I visited many of our national schools over the past week so I seized the opportunity to revisit Holy Cross Mercy National School to chat to principal Ursula Coffey ahead of her retirement.

“I attended Carysfort College in Dublin after graduating from Coláiste Íde in Dingle," Ursula explained.

"From Gneevguilla, Dublin was the most direct route to becoming a teacher. From Rathmore train station, direct to Dublin, it was the simplest route for my mother, who had just started to drive, shortly after my dad passed away when I was just 15. Past principal Sr Carmel (RIP) was a sister of my father's. She was principal at The Mercy from the early '80s until 1991 where Sr Regina took over until 2005. I was the eldest of four siblings and we all went to college in Dublin.

"There are no two days the same in many lines of work Marie but education is forever changing and evolving. Together with Catriona Behan and Catherine Mangan, who were hugely innovative with technology, we began an Erasmus project visiting Ylitornio, Finland, just half an hour away from the Arctic Circle, and frequented Birmingham regularly, where Apple devices changed our methods of teaching forever. Technology was used to differentiate for all needs and gave the ability to be creative making the way forward in communication so relevant. 2007/08 gave way for a massive change in reading and writing and thank God for it as it has seriously benefited every child. Literacy is enormously important for every subject but hugely for maths. Personally I felt there was too much emphasis on paperwork. The children are always and ever the centre of every decision we made at The Mercy NS. I spent 25 years as a teacher, dominantly Sixth Class girls, before becoming principal for a further 17 years,” she said.

PROUDEST MOMENT

“What has been your proudest moment at The Mercy Ursula?" I asked. I completely caught her on the hop. “There have been many Marie, but daily it brings me great joy to see happy children learning. It doesn’t matter what country you come from, we are inclusive and encourage creativity. We have a proud catholic heritage with the nuns since 1844 but here at The Mercy we welcome all religions and nationalities. I am grateful to have a superb team with over 50 staff, excluding the pre-school, which was originally set up by the nuns in the early '80s to facilitate children who could not attend private pre-schools. They were strong women who saw the need. We have also been blessed with excellent Board of Management teams along the way, who have offered immense support and guidance,” Ursula replied.

Ursula was being modest. She herself was a strong woman who saw the need. With prior knowledge, I began to poke a little more.

“A friend of mine works at your Autism Unit Ursula. I visited once with my lens - most impressive. That was built under your reign was it?” I asked.

“It was built in 2016 with four classes, with one purpose built room. Recently we were granted €4.2 million for a centre of excellence purpose built ASD Unit to up our expertise in that area. The nuns have gifted us the land at the back of the school and we are hopeful to put in an astro turf play area too but we will have to see how the build goes first. The department of education have done a lot in the upkeep of the school but if I won the Lotto in the morning we need a new hall!" Ursula joked. Indeed a strong woman who saw the need I thought, and what a legacy to leave behind.
 

RETIREMENT

“How do you feel about retirement Ursula,” I asked.

“I don’t like to talk about it much. My life has been The Mercy. My children went to school here and I taught my youngest, Jennifer, in Sixth Class. I remember taking a notion that she would ask me to be her sponsor for her confirmation to which she replied "mum, you will be too busy with all the other children". I had plans to retire a few years ago as my husband Kieran retired as principal from Fossa NS over 10 years ago but when COVID hit, how could I leave such mayhem? There was more work than ever to be done in setting up an education system that worked for the children at home. I had never been so thankful that we had always had the wheels of technology in motion here at The Mercy. The majority of the children were so resilient and bounced back in the gates of the school as if it never happened. This made me very happy."

“Have you any plans for your retirement,” I asked Ursula.

“My son Niall lives in Vancouver and is getting married to his fiancee Megan in July of next year, so we are really looking forward to that,” Ursula said.

“And where are your other children,” I asked. “Jennifer is married to Lee in Dublin and she works as a medical scientist in Temple Street. My son Fintan is a Garda in Macroom and is married to Laura and they have two girls, Sophie and Stella. My husband Kieran works two days per week still with the diocese and we look forward to celebrating our Ruby wedding anniversary next March, so there’s lots to look forward to Marie.”

It was soon photo time which Ursula considered the ‘worst part’. We made our way to vice principal Anne Lucey’s room, who has also served a lengthy time of 36 years at The Mercy. On the way she told me about how Ursula set up Accord in Killarney, Ireland's leading nationwide agency supporting marriages and relationships, which Ursula had forgotten to mention. This didn’t surprise me at all. I was also informed of her famous brownies, a must at Board of Management meetings, especially enjoyed by Fr Niall Howard.

Opting for accompaniment in her retirement portrait, Ursula is pictured with present teachers at The Mercy, Alice O’Donnell Davern and Frances Arthur, all who began their first day in Junior Infants at the school on September 1 1980, the same day Ursula began her lengthy teaching career in our community, educating all at Holy Cross Mercy NS for the past 42 years.

Thank you for having me Ursula, the pleasure was mine entirely.

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Rotary Club’s Wine & Art Night raises €25,000

The Killarney Rotary Club’s annual Wine & Art Night, held before Christmas, was another resounding success, raising a grand total of €25,000 for local community projects. President Ciara Irwin Foley […]

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The Killarney Rotary Club’s annual Wine & Art Night, held before Christmas, was another resounding success, raising a grand total of €25,000 for local community projects.

President Ciara Irwin Foley expressed the club’s delight with the amount raised, thanking club members and everyone who contributed to this impressive sum. She highlighted that this popular annual event directly supports vital local initiatives such as schools, clubs, and charities in the Killarney area.

Ms. Irwin Foley extended particular thanks to the event’s long-standing key sponsors: Daly’s SuperValu, Killarney Brewing & Distilling Co, and Killarney Credit Union, acknowledging their crucial and consistent support over the years. The team at The Great Southern Killarney was also thanked for ensuring the smooth running of the event. Appreciation was also given to the businesses that sponsored door prizes and competitions, including The Rose Hotel, M.D. O’Shea’s, CRL, and The Lake Hotel, as well as to Mike Neeson for providing entertainment.

The Wine & Art Night provides a valuable platform for local artists and craftspeople, with up to fifty showcasing their work. Some artists have been involved since the event’s inception, making it a wonderful networking opportunity. There is always significant interest from artists to participate in this worthwhile cause, with a percentage of their sales donated on the night. Many also generously donate their artwork for the auction, where 100% of the proceeds go directly to the beneficiary fund.

The beneficiaries themselves play an active role by selling tickets for the event in advance, using this as a key fundraising method for their own projects. The schools, clubs, organisations, and charities involved put in tremendous effort, and it is always inspiring to hear how the funds raised have positively impacted them. For example, the Hospice sells their Christmas cards at the event, and the Irish Pilgrimage Trust sells raffle tickets to help bring local people to Lourdes at Easter.

Organising the Wine & Art Night is a significant undertaking for the Killarney Rotary Club, with extensive preparations happening well in advance. Many individuals contribute their time and effort, with numerous volunteers ensuring everything runs smoothly on the night. It is this collective effort that makes the event such a success.

The €25,000 raised this year has been distributed to the following deserving beneficiaries: Faha N.S., Fossa N.S., Gaelscoil Faithleann, Knockanes N.S., Loreto N.S., Loughquittane N.S., St. Brendan’s (Sem), Hospice, Irish Pilgrimage Trust, Kerry Stars Club, Killarney Athletic, and Killarney Valley AC.
The Killarney Rotary Club is already looking forward to hosting their next Wine & Art Night at the end of November.

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Kerry Jobs Fair to connects job seekers and employers

Job seekers and employers in Kerry will have a chance to meet at the Kerry Jobs Fair 2025 on May 20, at the Rose Hotel in Tralee. Over 30 companies […]

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Job seekers and employers in Kerry will have a chance to meet at the Kerry Jobs Fair 2025 on May 20, at the Rose Hotel in Tralee.

Over 30 companies from the county will be there, offering hundreds of job openings across different sectors.
The free event is organised by NEWKD Local Development Company, in partnership with The Rose Hotel and Tralee Chamber Alliance. Anyone interested can attend by registering on the day.
People looking for work can explore opportunities in areas like office administration, IT, accounting, finance, hospitality, manufacturing, food production, and retail.
The event aims to link job seekers and employers with useful information and support related to employment.
Alongside employer stands, there will be a careers clinic offering help with CV writing, interview skills, and information on training and career development.
There will also be workshops for both employees and employers about employing people who are not Irish citizens.
Robert Carey, NEWKD SICAP Programme Manager, said that bringing together many employers, services, and speakers will give job seekers a great chance to talk directly to potential employers, join workshops on career progression, and learn about employment schemes like Tús, CE, and WPEP. He added that employers will get to meet job seekers face-to-face and get information on employing people from abroad, which is important for business growth.
Efforts are being made to help Ukrainian refugees and those seeking international protection attend the fair, with information provided beforehand and interpreters available on the day. NEWKD, as part of the Kerry Community Response Forum, highlights that employment is key for refugees integrating into the community.
During the event, employers can learn about the specifics of employing migrants, get answers to common questions, and raise any concerns. A workshop for employers will be led by Frank O`Boyle from the Irish Refugee Council.
In addition to the job fair, there will be information sessions for all visitors on topics such as CV preparation (led by Sean Connell, HR at NEWKD), interview skills (presented by Lydia Oboryna from the Open Door Initiative), employment law for migrants, accessing the labour market for those with temporary protection, and entrepreneurship workshops on starting a business and finding funding.
The Newkd Kerry Jobs Fair 2025 is supported by the Rose Hotel and the Tralee Chamber Alliance, with funding from the SICAP programme, which is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC).

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