St Joseph’s NS the venue for Christmas message

Respecting different cultures in a turbulent and ever-changing world are ideals perfectly represented by St Joseph’s NS in Muirhevnamor which was the backdrop for the Christmas messages recorded by Armagh Archbishop Eamon Martin, Primate of All-Ireland and Church of Ireland Archbishop Richard Clarke.

The message will be broadcast on RTE 1 television at 12.20pm on Christmas Day.

Following Archbishop Martin’s visit to St Joseph’s NS in October for the opening of the school’s extension, he contacted staff a short time later to ask if he could record the Christmas message from the school.

Muirne Lawlor from St Joseph’s NS explained how staff and students were delighted to facilitate the archbishop’s request and are looking forward to watching the message on Christmas Day.

Ms Lawlor detailed the preparations, which started at 8am. ‘ There was a variety of aspects to the day involving staff, children and parents. A number of students were involved in singing, including the choir who sang Liam Reilly’s ‘ Another Christmas Morn’ and another group who welcomed the archbishops with ‘Little Donkey’.

‘In addition, Ms Faherty’s first class were filmed preparing for their Nativity play, while Ms Shaw was involved in helping children from St Joseph’s, as well as from St Nicholas NS Dundalk and St Peter’s in Drogheda, complete Christmas artwork’.

This is the first time St Joseph’s has been involved in a project like this and are delighted with the archbishops’ endorsement of the valuable inter-cultural, inter-faith and ethnic work that is being done in the school, where some 18 ethnic groups, including Travellers, are accommodated in a respectful and positive learning environment.