Mr Des Rainey(centre) pictured with the staff on his courtesy visit to the school .He was accompanied by District representative, Mr. Declan Kelleher, District XI (third from left)

Mr. Rainey, the current President of the INTO (Irish National Teachers Organisation), paid a courtesy visit to the school on      June, 1999. He was in Waterford, as guest of the local branch of the organisation, where he was  a special guest at a special function held in the Tower Hotel, Waterford the previous night to mark the retirement of twenty four local teachers who had recently retired. He spoke of his close link with the Waterford area as both his father and grandfather,both teachers, received their initial training in De La Salle College, Waterford. His father now aged 96, has enjoyed thirty years of active retirement.

As President of the largest teacher unon in Ireland, he has a hectic schedule and likes to visit local teachers in their schools, in as many parts of the country as possible. On his visit he spoke with the staff and commented on the unusual design of the building and the spectacular views afforded of Tramore Bay, from many of the classrooms. He complimented the school on its  many achievements over the years and of late the high achievments of the school  in the area of Information Technology  and on the sports field. He wished the staff and pupils every success in the future and looks forward to his return visit to the sunny South - East for the INTO Annual Congress, which will be held in Waterford in April, 2000.Unfortunately Mr. Prenter, the school Principal was not in the school to greet our special guest, as he was on his class educational tour.

Des is the current President (1999/2000) of the INTO. He took up office at the close of Annual Congress in Galway on Thursday, 8 April, 1999. A native of the city of Derry, in Northern Ireland, he currently is a member of the staff in Holy Child PS, Creggan in Derry. He has been actively involved in INTO since his early teaching career serving as representative for District 2 on the Central Executive Committee and Northern Committee  1978.

Des is married to Jennifer, who is a community nurse and they have four grown-up children, Kevin, Deirdre, Colm and Dermot. Des's daughter, Deirdre, and two of his brothers are INTO members teaching in second level schools in Derry.

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