Final send off is bittersweet for Proinsias

Friday was a day of very mixed emotions for retiring school principal Proinsias Mac Curtain as the school community said a fond farewell.

| By Michelle Crean

He got a wonderful send off in Gaelscoil Faithleann on Friday morning last with cake, music, speeches and some tears.

All the children sat in the hall and sang some traditional Irish songs inspired by the John Spillane collection. His wife Karen and children Ruadhán, Meadhbh, and Cormac, were guests of honour.

Local principals including Colm Ó Súilleabháin from St Oliver’s NS, Paul Horan from Holy Family NS Rathmore, Mary Brosnan from The Mon, Brian O'Sullivan from Scoil Bhride Loreto, Alison Coffey of Loughquittane NS, Maria Breen, Tiernaboul NS, and Conor Gleeson from Lissivigeen NS, attended to say farewell to a great friend.

"Local musicians who play with Proinsias on a regular basis turned up and this was a surprise," his colleague Lisa Ní Iar- laithe told the Killarney Advertiser.

"The school staff and Seán Ó Luanaigh, the Chair of the Board of Management, were all in attendance too."

Every child in the school drew a portrait of their príomhoide and they were all hung in the hall as well as some photos of Proinsias from when he was a small school boy right up to the present day.

"He really enjoyed looking at these surprises on the day. The children presented him with a beautiful piece of slate with a poem close to his heart, a huge card signed by all the children and staff and a cake with the school crest and a feadóg mhór and music notes."

Later that evening the Board of Management treated Proinsias to an evening in the Great Southern Killarney.

"It was a bittersweet occasion," Lisa, who is taking over as principal of the school, added.

TRADITIONAL MUSIC & SONG

Concertina

-Button Accordion - Melodeon

Fiddle - Banjo - Mandolin

Singing - Traditional, Ballad & Folk

Harp - Uilleann Pipes

Irish Flute

Tin Whistle

Traditional Piano (Accompaniment)

Traditional Guitar - Bodhrán

Pre-Instrumental – Fun musical introduction (ages 3-6)

CLASSICAL & CONTEMPORARY

Singing & Voice Training

Saxophone, Clarinet

Classical Violin

Classical Flute

Piano, Keyboard, Keyboard Skills

Acoustic Guitar

Electric Guitar, Ukulele

Pop, Rock & Jazz Piano Music Theory

** New Little Mozarts & Singing Super-Stars with Sorcha O Connor - Singing and basic Theory class for Children ages 5-6 yrs

Drama for Children - with Ray O Sullivan AIBSD

“Tunes & Craic” Adult Session Group with Padraig Buckley –Learn the Skills of Session Playing

** New “Tunes & Craic” Junior Session Group with Sheila O Donoghue –Learn the Skills of Session Playing (Ages 8-12)