Pupils surprise retiring principal of Limerick school with touching song written in her honour

THEY SAY every person has that “one teacher” they never forget but in retiring Limerick school principal Mary McGlinchey’s case, it is one pupil that has had an especially big impact on her.

“There is a particular child in school and I said when he was in sixth class that that would be my cut-off point. While I am immensely proud of all my pupils, past and present, this boy’s efforts throughout his time with us has made me most proud.

“He worked hard, even when things were difficult and consistently managed to both amaze and entertain me with the wealth of general knowledge he has. He has a ‘stick at it mentality’ combined with a great sense of humour, a sense of mischief and some lovely character traits, all of which kept me on my toes.

“He would be the measure of all that is good in our school,” said Mrs McGlinchey, whose final day in Carnane National School was on Friday, January 16.

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After 36 years spent in classrooms in Laois, Tipperary and Limerick, you could say the Templemore lady’s work is done.

Mrs McGlinchey came to Carnane NS in Fedamore as principal in 2000. Prior to that she spent one year in Ballina and five each in Rathdowney and Erril schools.

The boys and girls gave Ms McGlinchey a rousing send-off with a song they penned, with the help of deputy principal Fidelma Reidy, to the air of the song  Caledonia.

It includes the lyrics: “Brilliant, kind, and always caring. Helpful hands and wisdom sharing. An iconic smile, sharp eye, calm tone, You made our school feel like home.

“Mrs McGlinchey we love you, We'll think about you all the time, Retirement is calling you, now you're staying at home. And if you should become a stranger, It will make us more than sad, Mrs McGlinchey's been everything we've ever had.”

The principal said she didn’t have an inkling about the song despite it being a small school of 30 pupils.

“I don’t know how they managed to practice it without me knowing. They weren't even looking at the words, they knew them all by heart. They’re amazing children.

“It has been an absolute privilege and a pleasure every morning to come to Carnane NS. I meet the pupils and their parents at the school gate every morning. We started it during Covid and kept it going afterwards. It was a nice positive way to start each school day.

“That’s what small schools are all about. It's not many schools that would be able to do that. The beauty of a smaller school is that you know absolutely everybody, you know backgrounds, personal circumstances and you make allowances accordingly for every child each school day.

"Most problems got solved at the school gate before the child set foot in the classroom,” said Mrs McGlinchey, who is married to Tom and they have three children – Aideen, Sinead and Deirdre

Mrs McGlinchey doesn’t know what she’s going to do next, only that it will be something “completely different”.

As she bids farewell to the classrooms of Carnane NS for the last time, she will be that “one teacher” for many pupils long into the future.