Longford pupil impresses even Pat Shortt with his Jumbo Breakfast Roll outfit

A great teacher is what makes school that much more enjoyable - something which can certainly be said for Carmel Corr at St Teresa’s National School in Killoe.

For World Book Day this year, when pupils were dressing up as their favourite characters, Ms Corr encouraged second class pupil, eight-year-old Daniel Campbell, to dress up as Pat Shortt.

The Killinaskully fan was thrilled to don his hi-vis jacket and cap, complete with a jumbo breakfast roll, while Ms Corr played the song for the children.

“He’s still talking about it,” said Daniel’s delighted mother, Claire, last week.

“Not only that but she helped Daniel write a letter to Pat and he returned the letter today. To say it made his year is an understatement.”

In the letter, Daniel told Pat Shortt about his love of farming, GAA, rugby and Pokémon cards, before letting the popular comedian know, “I think you’re really funny”.

“I love Killinaskully but I really love the Jumbo Breakfast Roll song. This year, I dressed up as you for World Book Day,” he said in his letter.

“My teacher thought it was very funny. I ate my jumbo breakfast roll for lunch that day. It was very yummy.”

Enclosed with the letter was a photograph of Daniel in his Pat Shortt costume. Last week, Daniel received a letter in the post from Pat Shortt himself, thanking him for getting in touch.

“I have to say, your teacher was very good to send on your photo to me of you dressed as me with the jumbo breakfast roll,” he wrote.

“You looked great and gave us all a good launch in the officehere. It made our day.”

He went on to say he and his daughter have just opened a new show and have just started touring again after Covid.

“I hope to see you when I am up in Longford some day but don’t eat too many of those breakfast rolls or I won’t recognise you,” he said.

“Be good for your teacher, Carmel, as I am sure you always are, and keep up the fun,” he concluded, signing his name to the bottom of the letter.

The letter received a huge response from Daniel’s classmates, according to his teacher, Ms Corr, who said “when he read the letter, the boys and girls just burst into applause”.

“Daniel is such a character in our classroom and his World Book Day costume was fantastic. He had us all in stitches with it,” she said.

“We decided to write to Pat that week and Daniel put in such a great effort with his letter. Pat replied with such a lovely sweet letter. I think I was as excited as Daniel was! Pat made both our days!”

Daniel’s mother, Claire, was thrilled to see her son’s creative side encouraged by his school teacher.

“Teachers don’t get enough praise. They are fantastic in Killoe school,” she told the Longford Leader last week.

“Ms Corr, Daniel’s teacher goes the extra mile to encourage her pupils. He is now doing well in school, loves going to class and the creative side is being encouraged too.

“If we have more people like Ms Corr and the rest of the staff in Killoe NS behind our children, the world would be a better place.”