School plans to celebrate 25-year milestone in style

Members of staff from the original group in 1998 who are still teaching in the school, from left, Pat Brosnan, Norma Aherne, Patricia McCarthy, Bernie Walsh, Karen O’Sullivan, Peggy O’Donoghue and Denis Kerins, principal.
Pictures: Tony O’Brien

Plans are underway to mark the landmark 25th anniversary of Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra in Rathmore in style and staff and students commenced the celebrations earlier this month celebration with a screening of a Reeling in the Years video from 1998, the year it was newly formed as a community school.

That was followed by Mass St Joseph’s Church, Rathmore which was celebrated by Fr Pat O’Donnell and attended by the whole school community, as well as primary school students from Rathmore and Hollymount and members of the local community.

Past pupils who are teaching in the school,from left, Pat Brosnan, Conni Vaughan, Kieran Fitzgerald, Mairead O’Sullivan, Aggie O’Riordan and Gary O’Sullivan

The day of celebration also included a quiz for the entire school on events that happened in 1998.

The new school, at that time, was an amalgamation of St Mary’s Secondary School, which was run by the Presentation Order, and Rathmore Vocational School run by Kerry Vocational Education Committee.

The late Ted Kiely retired as principal in the vocational school and local man, Jerh O’Donoghue, who was the principal in the secondary school – known as The Convent – became the principal of the newly formed Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra when it opened that September.

The current staff of Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra

A larger community-based celebration will take place at a later date which will include an open day in the school which aims to bring together past and present students, parents, staff and members of the local community to celebrate the 25-year history.

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