Etta made St Brigid’s what it is
HUBERT MURPHY LOOKS BACK TO 1997 AND THE RETIREMENT OF ST BRIGID’S NS PRINCIPAL ETTA MCGREAL WHO LEFT A LIFELONG IMPACT...
THE retirement of Ms. Etta McGreal as principal of St. Brigid’s National School in Drogheda’s Bothar Brugha marks the end of an area and a link with the school spanning the past four decades.
It was back in 1957 when Ms. McGreal first stood in St. Brigid’s School to take up a teaching position.
Seventeen years later she was to be appointed principal of the school and she made that position her own establishing a school that was open and friendly and which always put the needs of the children first.
For Ms. McGreal, as Fr. Hughes the Chairman of St. Brigid’s Board of Management said at a special function in the school this week, the children were her life.
‘ They were her absolute priority. And it was of paramount importance to her that they were properly looked after and properly educated. She always had a mother’s touch with them. The school and the children have been her life,’ he said.
The function was organised by parents, both past and present, involved in the Parents’ Council of St. Brigids over the years and a warm applause greeted Ms. McGreal as she entered the hall.
She admitted that had she looked into a crystal ball in September 1957 when she first came to St. Brigids she would not recognise herself as the “person here tonight addressing a large assembly of past pupils, members of parents Council and friends.”
‘My years in St. Brigid’s have spanned a momentous era in Irish education. After many years of relatively little change in schools the introduction of the new primary curriculum in 1970 bade farewell to the traditional classroom known to generations.
‘Education became more and more child centred. Desks were replaced by informal furniture with pupils in groups learning through play, exploration and experimentation covering a wider variety of subjects.
‘Greater emphasis was placed on the total development of the child rather than just the academic. Gone were the conformity and rigidity ol former years. Adaptability became the keynote, to stay in tune with a changing society.
‘ St. Brigid’s adapted readily to these developments and to important ones of its own. St. Brigid’s became a quickly expanding Junior School, necessitating the building of a large seven roomed extension, which was officially opened in 1978.”
Another major milestone_ she said, was the introduction of the Board of Management and the schools’ Parents’ Councils. “Once again, St.Brigid’s was to the fore in being one of the earliest schools to have a Parents’ Council. Ii was to be the beginning of a very fortunate, successful, happy partnership for us all.
‘Our Parents’ Council; have made a substantial contribution to school life. We all appreciate the sacrifice you make in offering your time and efforts. We appreciate your friendship and loyalty.
“The Mayor of Drogheda, Mal Godfrey, a member of the Parents” Council of the School, described the function as being a ‘ sad occasion’ because it marked the departure of Etta McGreal. “You were a great ambassador for the school and while the Parents’ Council always had a great relationship with you the children absolutely love you. I know that they are very sad that you are leaving and I think everyone will agree that you have left your mark on them and that you will be remembered.’
The Chairperson of St. Brigid’s Parents’ Council Lynn Mohan said that Etta MeGreal had ‘ been there for generations of Drogheda families and their children’ and the council--couldn’t let her retirement go by without showing their appreciation.
“We are here tonight to show Etta how much she is appreciated and how much she will be missed, she said making a special presentation to the principal.
Patsy Clarke, on behalf of the former parents’ council of the school, recalled Ms. McGreal’s support when Parents’ Councils were getting off the ground. ‘ You have been very good to us and we always felt welcome here. We had some good fun too along the way and we are very sad to see you go.”
Patsy made another presentation to Ms. MeGreal while a presentation was also made on behalf of the ‘old timers’, members of the schools’ original parents committees.