Oak tree is brought back to school on 125th anniversary

Oak tree is brought back to school on 125th anniversary

2 May 2012 - by Ciara Colhoun

ONE hundred and 25 years of rural education are being celebrated at St Caolan’s Primary School in Darragh Cross.

The local school has served generations of families from the area since it was established at the village crossroads in 1887.

Like many rural schools, the registers demonstrate the sense of continuity in the community with surnames recurring again and again over the decades, including Murray, Miskimmon, McGreevy and Mullan.

The latest generations of those families, and parents and staff associated with the school, are now looking forward to marking their landmark birthday with a series of events, which began with the planting of an oak tree in the school grounds on Monday.

Darragh Cross is Irish for Oak Crossroads and many of the village’s elderly residents recall playing in an ancient hollow oak tree outside the building during their own school days.

It was because of these reminiscences of the oak, that staff decided to kick-start their celebrations by planting a new oak tree in its place.

School principal, Mrs. Marie Cassidy, said the anniversary was of “huge significance” for the school, which, like a solid oak tree, has withstood the test of time.

“It is important for us to mark the fact that the school is celebrating 125 years and that it is still strong and thriving,” she said.

She said she believed part of St. Caolan’s strength lay in its strong sense of community, a factor that appealed to her when she saw the post of principal advertised seven years ago.

“I began my teaching career here in 1989 when I worked temporarily as a teacher after graduating and before moving to a Belfast school where I stayed for 17 years,” she said.

“When I saw the post of principal advertised I knew I had to apply because I held such fond memories of my time here. I was drawn back.”

Indeed, being drawn back to St. Caolan’s seems to be a feature of life at the school.

The school’s primary three and four teacher, Miss Marie-Claire Canavan, is herself a former pupil and she is also the daughter of one of the school’s longest serving teachers, Mrs. Emer Canavan.

She admits she never imagined she would return to the school as a teacher, despite enjoying her own school days at St. Caolan’s. After studying in Liverpool, she says she originally “resisted teaching” before finally returning home to sub.

When she saw the post advertised at the school, she said she realised it was “too good an opportunity not to apply.” Five years later, she is once again in the midst of Darragh Cross life.

“There are many benefits,” she says. “It is lovely because I know the parents and I am involved in the GAA in the community as well so I see the children a lot.

“It is a great school and it is nice to be so connected to the community.”

To mark the school’s 125th anniversary, there will be a special mass in Carrickmannon Church on Thursday, May 10, which will be celebrated by Fr. Cahill and Bishop Anthony Farquhar.

Those who attend the mass will also be invited back to the school afterwards for tea and to view an exhibition of old photographs associated with the school and its long history.

A fundraising DVD is also for sale from the school, while there will be a dinner dance at La Mon House Hotel on Friday, May 18. Tickets for the dinner dance are £30 and are also available from the school.

Everyone is welcome to attend.