PICTURES | Magical day as Longford school pays tribute to wonderful teacher

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The pupils and staff of Scoil Eimear, Longford came together to bid a fond farewell to long-serving Deputy Principal Sinéad Smith who recently retired.

Sinéad was born and raised in Longford. She is from Ballymahon where she is a member of the Flynn family.  Her family has had a long tradition in the bakery industry. Indeed her sister Una Flynn set up a very successful baking business following her own retirement as a school teacher. READ MORE BELOW PHOTO

Sinéad began her own education in Ballymahon primary and attended Convent of Mercy secondary in Ballymahon. She then went to Carysfort College, Dublin from where she graduated as a teacher in 1983. Her first post was in Dublin but she soon came back home and worked in St Colmcille’s and St Patrick’s NS Moyne. 

She joined the staff of Scoil Eimear in 1988. The school was still in its infancy at that time, having opened in 1987 and the Principal was Mr Ward.  Sinéad taught at both Junior & Senior levels.  She also worked with Mrs Noeleen Rooney Principal and during this time she became Deputy Principal.  In recent years she worked alongside the current Principal of Scoil Eimear Martina McCormack.

Sinéad worked tirelessly in her many roles and her relationship with her colleagues, pupils and parents was exemplary.  Her love of music soon surfaced and it manifested itself in her work developing music at Scoil Eimear and beyond.  Sinéad understood the gift of music as a way of communicating and recognised it as an International language in itself.

Sr Angela Bracken introduced the National Children’s Choir (NCC) to Longford in 1985 and Sinéad soon became involved in this wonderful Nationwide initiative. In its early days the NCC was associated with a few schools in Longford.  

Sinéad, with the help of devoted music lovers in other schools, became a driving force behind the NCC and it now involves schools from Co Cavan, Leitrim and Longford. The teachers learn a very challenging repertoire and this is taught to the children, who perform at a local concert in Longford and later some children are selected to perform in the National Concert Hall in Dublin.  The beauty of the NCC is that all children perform.  

Sinéad has been the local coordinator for the last number of years but there is very little local about it, as it involves liaising with many schools throughout the country. Sinéad would be the first to acknowledge the wonderful team of teachers and musicians whose commitment to the NCC has resulted in the amazing biennial concerts that take place and which are enjoyed so much by the audiences and children alike.

The trojan work Sinéad has done in promoting all kinds of music is evident each year in the participation of Scoil Eimear in the annual Scór competition and beautiful school choirs. She has been blessed to have found some kindred spirits among her fellow teachers which has resulted in the promotion of dance, singing, instrumental playing, recitation and drama in the school.   

Sinéad is married to Frank Smith and they live with their family in Aughnacliffe. They have four children, Conor, Ronan, Cian and Áine. She and her family suffered the heartache of losing Cian after a short illness in 2011.  He, like his mother, was a lover of music and the staff of the Scoil Eimear and some of the pupils were very fortunate to have enjoyed his wonderful musical talent as he played his banjo on stage as a very young boy, full of mischief and wit.

The staff and Sinéad’s family enjoyed a magical day on June 16 – a fitting tribute to such a wonderful person.  The occasion was marked by celebrations that began at the school.  There were musical compositions in song and dance performed brilliantly by the children. 

The lyrics of the songs were all written by the staff and the creative dance was specially choreographed by Amie Duignan, a past pupil of Scoil Eimear and a great supporter of the school. 

Everyone in the school was involved and it all came together under the guidance of the talented Fiona Branigan and Sharon Donnelly.  The day ended with a fabulous meal at the Rustic Inn, followed by a night of dancing to the great music of Colm Mulligan. It goes without saying that Sinéad will be greatly missed but her legacy has left the school a very enriched place which all her colleagues hope she will continue to visit.