Popular Louth teacher retires after 43 year career which saw her teaching in Ireland and Australia
“It is the most scenic beautiful place to come to each day,” teacher Mairead Egan says of Mullaghbuoy National School, high up on a mountain road in Louth’s Cooley peninsula.
The south Armagh native who now lives in Dundalk has retired after spending almost fourteen years of her 41-year teaching career as principal of the 68 pupil school.
Originally from Adavolye between Dromintee and Meigh, she studied at the University of Ulster in Coleraine and has been teaching since 1983.
During that time she has taught in numerous schools throughout Ireland, including Dundalk, Newry and Dromintee and also in Australia but Mullaghbuoy will hold a special place in her heart.
"I was just amazed by the enthusiasm and generosity of spirit in the parish,” she says, praising the support she received from the Board of Management headed by Fr Malachy Conlon, the Parents’ Association, and vice-principal Joanne Canavan and all the staff.
The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 was a difficult time, she recalls. “But again my staff were amazing and got on board. The staff and myself were prepared when the announcement came on March 12 that everything was closing down. We saw it coming and knew we had to get everything up and running.”
She said that all the children were sent home with packs of books and worksheets at 12noon and the teachers were ready to deliver remote learning by the time they closed the doors that evening.
"We were teaching remotely within a week. Everyone came on board. That is what’s lovely with somewhere like this - it’s like a big family and the parents were great.”
Now that she’s putting away the laptop and mouse rather than the chalk and duster, she reflects on the many changes she has seen in the educational system over her career.
"I started of with a blackboard and chalk and having to make our own resources.”
She believes that there have been major improvements in education since then but is passionate that the resources need to be put in place so that children can benefit from the innovations being put in place by the Department of Education.
"The children are the leaders of the future,” she continues. “We have wonderful young teachers out there and they need to be given the resources to give their best.”
"Our children are so high in numeracy and literacy, they are right at the top and we need to keep that up.”
Mairead is handing over the reins to the newly appointed principal Mrs Siobhan McClean who previously taught in Dundalk.
Staff, parents, pupils and the Board of Management gathered to bade farewell to Mairead on Tuesday evening with Mass in St Anne’s Mullaghbuoy with refreshments in the community centre afterwards.
Mairead is looking forward to re-charging her batteries and then doing some travelling and spending time with her family, husband Mike, sons Lorcan, James and Sean, and her five grandsons.
She admits that as a working mother and granny she, like many other women, felt the conflict between work and family life.
"I am just looking forward to spending relaxed quality time with everybody I love.”
Get ahead of the day with the morning headlines at 7.30am and Fionnán Sheahan's exclusive take on the day's news every afternoon, with our free daily newsletter.