Generational links blooming in Doneraile on International Women’s Day
Marking International Women’s Day on March 8, a new tree was planted at the Presentation Pastoral Centre in Doneraile in association with Countryside Montessori Preschool, Doneraile Active Retirement and Nagle Rice Secondary School.
According to the owner of the preschool, Norma O’Brien, the initiative began in February as a part of the Acts of Kindness Day.
“We’re very involved in the local community in Doneraile, so for Acts of Kindness Day, we invited Doneraile Active Retirement to our school. Margaret O’Rourke came to represent the group and on that day we presented her with a Magnolia tree that we had purchased locally from Glenanaar Garden Centre,” Norma said.
This week, generational links were created as different generations across the community came together to plant the tree at a key community hub in Doneraile, the Presentation Pastoral Centre.
Girls from the Blooms room of the preschool travelled with their teachers Norma, Aileen, Helen and Karen to the centre, where they met with members of the Active Retirement Group, principal Bríd Lysaght, Mr Clifford and Mrs Fleming of Nagle Rice Secondary School, along with Transition Year students.
“The weather was bad but that didn’t hold us back from having a nice day. We are very proud that our school is very much a part of the Doneraile community and a great team effort was seen between children and staff at our school and the wider community to organise the tree planting for International Women’s Day,” Norma added.
A joint effort saw the tree planted by Kayle Davern representing the montessori school, Jack Flahive and Margaret O’Rourke representing the Doneraile Active Retirement Group, with Ciara O’Callaghan and Conor McSweeney representing Nagle Rice Secondary School.
The day then came to a close with a cup of tea and a biscuit at the Presentation Pastoral Centre.