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Last of the old first of the new |
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Donal Gallagher had the distinction of being
the first Principal of the new school (as of A.D. 1956) which is now known as
Scoil Mhuire and the last Principal of the old school. Himself and his wife
Noreen (nee Scriven) had served as teachers in the Parish of Ballymore and
Hollywood for 30 years. The Gallaghers came to live in Ballymore in 1928 the
same year as they married. From 1928 to 1945 Donal taught in Hollywood and
thereafter he taught in Ballymore along with Noreen. They had four children
Finbar, Brendan, Eithne and Noreen.
Apart from teaching and raising her family Noreen was the Church Organist for
many years. At that time the demands on an Organist were much greater than they
are to-day. In those days Evening Devotions were a regular occurrence as was
Benediction after last Mass on a Sunday and there was also the Annual Retreat
all of which required the services of the Organist. In my experience I can
never recall Noreen being absent on such occasions.
A Christmas 1958 Parish pamphlet published by Monsignor Browne (then Fr Browne)
contained a tribute by Fr. Browne to Donal and Noreen Gallaghter to mark their
retirement and their departure to live near Dublin. This tribute is set out in
full below. The tribute concluded by wishing Donal and Noreen many happy years
of retirement a wish which I think could be said to have been granted as Noreen
lived into her eighties while Donal reached the grand age of 98.
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A FAREWELL |
As
1958 goes out with it will go two well-loved people from Ballymore Eustace. Mr.
and Mrs. Gallagher after thirty years as teachers in the parish are retiring
and will take up residence near Dublin.
Since their coming to Ballymore in 1928 they have won their way into the hearts
of their pupils and parents.
Noreen Scriven qualified as a trained teacher in Carysfort Training College in
1922. Thus she was one of the first to qualify in a free Ireland. Before her
marriage to Donal Gallagher at University Church, Dublin in 1928 she taught in
Newmarket, Co. Cork.
Mr. Gallagher left the De La Salle College in Waterford in 1914, the youngest
man to qualify for many years. Before his appointment in Hollywood in 1928 he
taught in Counties Limerick, Wexford and Kildare. He had also found time to
take out a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Diploma in Education at University College,
Dublin.
From 1928 to 1945 he taught at Hollywood. There he came to know very well the
famous Father Kavanagh. Many a laugh they had together, and many are the
stories he can tell about him. He recalled for me a morning long ago when he
read Father Kavanagh's obituary notice at his breakfast table before setting
out to school. As he cycled, as was his custom, to Hollywood he was planning
what would have to be done, now that the curate was dead. The school would be
closed of course, but first he would have to call to the presbytery. You can
judge his surprise when his knock was answered by Father Kavanagh. Later
investigations on his part revealed that some over-anxious Press reporter had
heard a report that Father Kavanagh had died.
During his years in the parish he was a member of the Parochial Committee that
were responsible for bringing electricity and sewerage to Ballymore Eustace, as
well as having the church bell erected in its present position. When the local
branch of the Gaelic League was formed he became its Chairman. Mr. Gallagher
had had to learn his Irish the hard way as Irish was not a school subject when
he was a boy.
With his departure from Ballymore Eustace, Blessington branch of the I.N.T.O.
will loose its Vice-Chairman - a position he has held for many years, and there
will be one less rod on the Liffey beneath Mount Cashel in the summer evenings.
With the departure of the Gallaghers the people of Ballymore Eustace will lose
two good friends. Our best wishes for many happy years of retirement go with
them.