Later they read the 1916 proclamation to the children with help from two sixth class boys. Finally the flag was presented by our bean an tí Ms Lynch who gave the flag to Lateefa, who is our youngest student in Huntstown. We really enjoyed the visit and promise to look after our flag with great care.
On Monday 28 September we received a copy of the proclamation and an Irish flag from two members of the Irish Defence Forces. The soldiers arrived to the school to applause from our assembled students. They were delighted to tell us all about the history of 1916 and the Rising. The children listened as they learned about the Irish flag and the significance of the colours. They were told how to take care of the flag, when it should fly from its mast and when it should be removed or lowered from the flag pole. Later they read the 1916 proclamation to the children with help from two sixth class boys. Finally the flag was presented by our bean an tí Ms Lynch who gave the flag to Lateefa, who is our youngest student in Huntstown. We really enjoyed the visit and promise to look after our flag with great care. A parachute jump to raise funds for the school has been organised by one of our parents. A number of staff as well as some parents, will take to the skies on Saturday next and should hopefully make it back to terra firma around lunch time. Thank you to everyone who has supported and coordinated this event.
The redevelopment of the school playing field has seen an incredible transformation over the summer. We have returned to a beautiful flat and healthy green space which should be perfect for sports in Huntstown. Since the grass is still taking hold we would ask everyone to 'go easy' for a while as we don't want to destroy our beautiful pitch. Sports will be scheduled to run on the pitch in the coming weeks and months.
With great sadness and shock we learned of the death of our beloved colleague Olive O'Neill on Saturday 29 August. Brimming with cheer and effervescent with energy, Olive played a huge role in the life of our school and our community. Her connections with Huntstown go back to when her three sons attended the school. An enthusiastic and encouraging parent who supported the school in every way possible, she later joined our staff to work as a Special Needs assistant bringing care, kindness and warmth to the role. Assigned to support children with specific learning and physical needs, Olive had the foresight and dedication to reach out to all the children in the class. For her, the role of the special needs assistant was to care for every child and she was diligent in her attention to her duties.
The great Christian theologian and philosopher Karl Rahner noted that teachers "teach who they are" and so the content of their character is evidenced in the manner with which they interact and care for their students. Olive was eternally positive and she imbued this positivity into everyone she encountered in the school. The true content of her character could be seen in the gentle motherly care she showed to each and every child, the genuine interest she showed to her colleagues and the commitment she showed to her school. It was heartening to see the huge number of students, both past and present, who were at her funeral mass on Tuesday 1 September. It is a true testament to the impact she had on the lives of so many. We feel blessed to have known and loved Olive. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis. |
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March 2024
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