Gerry McMonagle looks back proudly on his career in St Brigid's College

School’s out for summer, well almost. 

But, for Gerry McMonagle, school’s out forever. 

The popular vice principal of St Brigid’s College / Coláiste Bhríde in the city is retiring on August 31, after 28 years in the school. 

Gerry with some of the St Brigid's College students wishing him all the best for his retirement.

Chatting to Derry Now in his office, having shepherded the last of the stragglers into school, Gerry revealed he himself had actually left school at 16, so eager was he to get into the world of work. 

Throughout the interview, it became apparent that Gerry’s family influence and life experiences very much drove him to be the teacher, vice principal and community advocate he is.

Smiling, Gerry said: “I went straight from school into a local accountancy office, McDaid and McCullough, as an office junior. I couldn’t wait to leave school. I just wanted to get out and get working. 

“I had a great time there. There were four Gerrys there so I was always ‘Wee Gerry’ because I was the youngest. I was the gopher. I went for the shopping. I went for the buns in the morning. I delivered packages all around. 

“Gradually then, I went into the VAT Department and moved up into Accounts and Auditing. 

“I thought when I finished school at that age, I wouldn’t have to study again, little did I know, accountancy is all about exams and after a few years, I thought to myself, ‘I need to get a degree’. So I went day release to the Tech and did an OND (Ordinary National Diploma) in Business. After that I went to Ulster University, Coleraine and did my degree in accounting with economics, before returning to McDaid and McCullough’s,” said Gerry.

Laughing he said: “I had married Deirdre while I was at University and we had just bought our first house in Argyle Street and settled down.”

In answer to, ‘What McMonagle are you?’ Gerry said his mother is  Dympna Brady, from Deanery Street in the Brandywell and his father is Jim McMonagle, originally from Sandbank Cottages, near St Brigid’s.

“My granda Dan, who worked on the Lough Swilly buses all his life, was from Cable Street and my granny was Jeannie Reilly.  They were one of the first families to get a house in Creggan. They moved to Carrickreagh Gardens. That’s where I was born and grew up. Then High Park and then down into Rosemount. 

“My mother lived round the corner from Deirdre’s father, John, who is one of the Brandywell Ferguson’s. John worked along with my father in DuPont. We were coming down with Ferguson’s at the wedding.

“I went to the Holy Child Primary School. At that time, Creggan was huge, my twin brother, Daniel and I, only went to school in the morning because there were so many children. But, the thing that really stood out for me about primary school was how many sets of twins there were. Holy Child was great but in those days it only did P1 to P3, so I went then to Rosemount Boy’s. I'm not sure if it was the same for my three younger sisters, Ann, Janet and Patricia,” said Gerry.

It was after he started doing his professional accountancy exams, Gerry remembers realising he wanted more out of a job.

“It was actually one of my Tech lecturers who encouraged me to think about secondary school teaching,” said Gerry, “because he knew I really wanted to engage with wanes.

“Me and another fella, Junior McLaughlin, left McDaid and McCullough’s at the same time and went across to University of Paisley to do our PGCE’s in 1994.

“I have to say, at that time, Deirdre’s mammy and daddy, John and Ruby, were fantastic. Deirdre was working and looking after the wane and they would have been round with her all the time. 

“I absolutely loved the course. I then came back to Derry for an interview as a business studies teacher here in St Brigid’s, where Frankie Dunne was the principal. I didn’t get that job but I got a call before school was due to start, from Teresa Mugan, who was the vice principal. She said, ‘You impressed at the interview and I need a sub for Monday morning, are you available for a day?’”

The Class of 2023 at St Brigid's College on their final official day at the school.

Unbelievably, on the Monday morning, Gerry’s mother phoned him and said, ‘Gerard, are you due to start in a school in Carnhill?’ I said, ‘Aye’ and she said, ‘It’s on Radio Foyle, there’s been a fire in it’. 

“I came down here and I remember having to put on old clothes and we just helped red out the school,” said Gerry.

“Towards the end of the day, I was wondering if I had to come back in on the Tuesday or not, and Teresa came and said, ‘Are you alright for the rest of this week?’ and I said ‘Yes’. That went on and on and I haven’t left,” grinned Gerry.

Eventually, Gerry became Head of Careers and “I loved it” he said. He was also involved with the Credit Union for 20 years, rising to vice president.

“I remember getting a good inspection report and I was absolutely delighted.”

Gerry described himself and Pádraig Ó Mianáin, the principal of St Brigid’s, as “good team”.

“We would come in here first thing in the morning and have a cup of tea about half seven and plan the day ahead and discuss what is going on. We do the same thing at night. We have a laugh too and that is hugely important. I love it here.

“One of the things I was appointed to do, which I relished, was to open up the school and engage with  the community. That started during Marianna’s (Marianna Doherty) time as principal and continued when Liam (Ó Cunneagáin) became principal and it has been one of the highlights of my time in St Brigid’s.

“I went to the Foyle Learning Community meetings and made contacts with all of the community groups in the area, including Greater Shantallow Area Partnership, Leafair, Culmore Community Partnership.”

Clearly passionate about the greater St Brigid’s community, Gerry said: “Inequality, especially in this area, really rankles me. Our pupils are going to other schools for events and seeing inequality. We were approved for a new school but, unfortunately, it is one of the capital projects that has been frozen again. It is as if we are going cap in hand to look for something. 

“We pride ourselves on being an all-ability school and that’s what gives me the greatest satisfaction, for example, we work with the Greater Shantallow Area Partnership Programme, with youngsters who are not fully engaged with school.”  

A reflective Gerry added: “The community now has confidence in St Brigid’s and we have confidence in the community. That is why we are over-subscribed now every year, with a waiting list of 100 this year alone.”

Gerry receiving a token of appreciation from former Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Cllr Sandra Duffy.

And what are Gerry’s plans for September 1, 2023? “I am flying out to America for a month to visit my Aunt Jean, my father’s sister, who lives in Virginia,” he said, before adding, “I also intend to stay  involved in all of the local community groups, as well as pushing for a new school, as that is unfinished business.”

Getting a little emotional, Gerry, who was touched to receive an official token of acknowledgement from Mayor Sandra Duffy last week,  spoke about his love for his family, Deirdre and their wanes, Eoghan, who is in Spain, and Leanbh, who is in Australia. I am so proud of them both. 

“I feel that I owe this time to Deirdre. I am going out on a high. I am in good health and the school is doing well.”