Many tributes paid as popular Deputy Principal retires

THE pupils and staff in Carrig National School bade farewell to Mrs Siobhan Broderick on Thursday last when she retired from teaching after a career that spanned for over thirty three years.

A celebration Mass in her honour was offered by Fr Tom Hogan, PP, Birr, in the school and was attended by pupils, parents and former pupils. Many of the children wrote of what they thought of Mrs Broderick, which they displayed on the wall, and the main theme running through each one was her support and her help to them while they were in the school and how they would miss her. Several of the pupils thanked her personally after Mass, which was a very nice gesture from the pupils.

Paying tribute to Siobhan, Fr Tom spoke of her faithfulness and commitment to the school and all she had achieved since when she set out all those years ago. “It was a privilege for you,” he said “to be a teacher to so many children as you sent them on their way”.

The former Sionhan Clifford from nearby Birr, came to teach in Carrig after spending four years in Castletown in Laois. School Principal Tony Sampson read a poem written by John O’Donoghue before he went on to thank her for her dedication and hard work as a teacher in the school.

He said “anyone passing the school at 4.30pm or 5pm in the evenings, would see your car still there when everyone else had gone, which clearly showed the preparation and the planning you did and also that you clearly enjoyed your job”.

He went on to mention Siobhan’s qualities, such as her “nurturing and care to the children which was second to none,” he said. “You really did care about them and how they got on and always interested in them and the next stage they were at, there was a real bond there and that just didn’t happen, that was you,” he said.

He referred to what the pupils had written which summed up how they felt. He became emotional when he told her that the day was filled with mixed emotions, they would all miss her from the staff, but on the other hand they were all delighted for her as she was at a stage in her life where she could choose the next stage in her life. “For me as Principal, you have been a real rock for me over the years, to give advice, have a chat and I really do appreciate that, so thanks for all that, a simple thanks,” he said.

Siobhan Broderick said the pupils were a “massive credit to themselves, their families and the whole school community and I’m so proud of all the students I have taught and am teaching and the kind of people that they are,” she said.

She went on to say how much she loved coming to teach in Carrig every day and how she would miss all the children. She also thanked the staff and especially Mr Sampson for their support, kindness and friendship to her and how she felt honoured and privileged to have worked in Carrig school. She said she always wanted to be a teacher and that she “felt so lucky and blessed to have spent the last thirty seven years of my life, doing a job that I really loved and I hope all the students here end up doing something in their careers that they love too. So, I’m leaving here with wonderful memories,” she said, “the height of respect for all the children, their wonderful families and all the staff.”

Siobhan then concluded by thanking everyone for coming and how she appreciated it.