Nagle Rice primary bids farewell and thanks to Breda

PRINCIPAL of Nagle Rice Primary School, Liam Fell, said that it was with huge sadness that the school has come together to say goodbye to Breda Tangney on her retirement, but it is the children Breda looked after who will miss her most.

Breda has been a Special Needs Assistant (SNA) at the school since 2006 and has been a rock to all the children she looked after during that time.

The first student she became an SNA to when she began her career in the profession in 2002 was Daniel Brosnan, at Faha National School, and she was beside him during his time in the Intermediate School Killorglin (ISK). Tragically Daniel passed away in June 2016, much to the heart-break of his family and to Breda.

Over the years she has had more than a few students in her care, and everyone of them was special to her – Brian Spillane, Josh Delaney, Justin Astillero, Jack O’Connor, Jacob Browne, Tadhg Costello, Saoirse Mary Daly and Amber Keating.

To this day, Breda remains friends with them and their families.

Having made the decision to retire, she said she has had a wonderful career, and she is thrilled to be able to say she loved her job.

“I loved it, I loved being in the caring profession. I wanted to be a nurse, but my Dad died and I stayed at home in Glenbeigh,” she told The Kerryman.

“I had a great relationship with all the children. There was tough days, but the good days outweighed the bad,” she said.

Now living in Listry with her husband, John Joe, before becoming an SNA Breda first worked in cleaning in the Gleneagle and later became a home-helper before moving into the role from which she has just retired.

Paying tribute to her, Mr Fell said that Breda went “above and beyond” her call of duty.

“She was a fantastic asset to the school all the way through. She went above and beyond and was popular among staff, children and families. We are sad to see her go.”

And as for Breda, she will now spend her time with her beloved grand-children – Dara and Oisin, sons to her own son, Michael, and his wife, Niamh.

She is looking forward to the birth of a third grandchild, and the first child of her daughter, Sinead, and Sinéad’s husband, Eamon, in the coming weeks.

Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin Caroline Allman O’Brien on behalf of Nagle Rice Primary School, Milltown (fourth from left), making a presentation to retiring SNA Breda Tangney with (from left) John Joe Tangney, Tim O’Sullivan, Chairman Field Committee Michael McCarthy and Principal Liam Fell at Nagle Rice Primary School, Milltown on Monday.