photo: Thomas Boyle.

A large group of parents, past and present pupils along with many well-wishers assembled at the school that afternoon to wish them well in their retirement. Fr. Austin Lafferty celebrated Mass in the school earlier. In one way it was a sad occasion. Eddie had served as principal for 41 years while his wife, Mary, had been on the staff for 26 years. Both had played such an important part in the community and in the lives of local families. On the other hand, both were embarking on a new life.
A function in honour of their contribution to the school had been held sometime earlier in the Nesbitt Arms Hotel, Ardara where many of their past pupils and members of the community acknowledged what they had done and many presentations were made.
I, as a fellow teacher, wish to say that both added much to our union, the INTO, and to the many other teacher groups to which we have belonged. They also acknowledged and accepted the huge tecnological changes taking place lately, and had computer classes for adults in the school and developed this web site. I, along with everyone else, wish them well in their future. Go mbainfidh siad sult agus pléasúr as na blianta atá rompu.