Limerick teachers and pupils learn sign language to communicate with beloved student

THIS BEAUTIFUL photo doesn’t just feature girls and boys decked out in their finery at their First Holy Communion, it celebrates the essence of community.

The children all have their hands to their head as they are communicating through sign language the words of a song, appropriately called Circle of Friends.

The Templeglantine NS pupils all learned Lámh - the Irish sign language - so they can communicate with classmate Katie Sexton who has Down Syndrome. The touching moment was captured by photographer Simona Morkovska.

Katie’s mum Edel said there were tears in her and husband Dan’s eyes at the inclusivity of the moving gesture.

Denise Airey, a teacher for over 30 years, said it was one of the most beautiful Holy Communions she has been involved in.

Ms Airey said when Dan and Edel first met Templeglantine NS staff they really wanted Katie to be part of the school community.

“Inclusivity was our priority from day one. Katie has been with us for the last four years and is going into third class in September,” said Ms Airey. She says Katie is as popular with her classmates as she is with her teachers.

“She is absolutely fabulous, she is her own person. Katie is full of joy, a complete trickster and a pure rogue. She is really resourceful and self-reliant,” said Ms Airey.

She said from the principal Eimear Buckley, to the SNAs Michelle Divine McAuliffe, Niamh Ward, Mary Keane O’Keeffe, resource teacher Emma Carmody, class teachers Julie O’Brien, Roisin Fitzgerald and Jo Clancy, Katie is beloved by all.

As she is by her classmates and all the pupils in the whole school.

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Katie played a full part in the Mass like the rest of the children and brought up one of the gifts to the altar during the Mass said by Fr Denis Mullane.

“The whole day from start to finish was everything we wanted for Katie since she came here. She was outside the church with her friends playing and having fun. They all came in and she had a role, the same as other classmates, in the offertory procession,” said Denise.

The icing on the cake was the words of Circle of Friends being signed out.

“It was so fabulous. It was a tribute to all those kids and it just captured everything and not just that class but all the pupils and staff in the school,” said Ms Airey.

Proud mum Edel said she and Dan’s wishes and dreams for Katie were that she go to her local school. They had learned about Lámh through Down Syndrome Kerry and Limerick branches.

“When we came to Templeglantine NS first, the then principal asked how Katie communicates and we said Lámh.

“When she started that September all the teachers were trained in Lámh - they had all done the course over the summer to help Katie. It went from there and they started introducing it to the kids and it is just lovely. She has great friends who are able to communicate with her,” said Ms Sexton.

She said there were tears in her and Dan’s eyes when they saw Cara Rose and Luke’s big sister signing Circle of Friends with all her friends.

“It was just so inclusive of the school community - staff and students - and the wider community in Templeglantine - that’s all we wanted for her,” said Ms Sexton.

And Katie loved every second of it.

“From start to finish she had an amazing day. She absolutely loved it,” said Ms Sexton.