Limerick INTO ‘marks’ retiring teachers turning over a new page in their lives

THE LIMERICK city branch of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) has celebrated the immense contribution to education made by nine retiring teachers.

The event celebrated the nine men and women, whose combined service to education in Limerick city is estimated at over 300 years.

The teachers went from using blackboards to whiteboards and saw colossal changes in how boys and girls are taught over their careers. However, teaching attributes that will never change are kindness, encouragement and inspiring future generations.

Many readers will recall the following teachers for those very qualities - Fionnuala Bromell, Corpus Christi Primary School; Séamas Mac Uí hEidhin, An Mhodhscoil; Mary Dalton, St Paul’s National School; Catherine Troy, St Gabriel’s School; Deirdre Walters, John the Baptist Boys’ National School; Anna Nealon, Salesian Primary School; Catherine Tierney, St Patrick’s Boys’ National School; Kevin O’Connor, An Mhodhscoil and Tom Hartney, Scoil Íde.

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Members of the Limerick City Branch of the INTO gathered in the Greenhills Hotel to honour the teachers who retired during the past year.

Special guests included INTO president Anne Horan and District 13 central executive committee representative Tracie Tobin.

Branch chairperson Laura Quirke thanked the retirees for their service and invaluable contributions to education in Limerick, with INTO president Anne Horan and District 13 central executive committee representative Tracie Tobin echoing these sentiments.

Mary Dalton, formerly of St Paul’s National School, spoke on behalf of the teachers honoured, thanking the Limerick City Branch for organising the celebration and acknowledging the support of colleagues throughout their careers.