PICTURES | Longford school bids emotional farewell to ‘extraordinary’ long-serving principal

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As teachers go, Sacred Heart Primary School principal Marett Smith has been nothing short of a colossus for the profession.

The north Longford town school’s flagbearer for the past 30 years, Marett, or Ms Smith as she was more affectionately known last week called time on a career that was not just ahead of its time but effective in delivering a school that has fast become the envy of villages and towns countywide. READ MORE BELOW PHOTO

Last Thursday marked the culmination of those exploits as pupils, parents and staff paid tribute to their long serving principal with a special ceremony inside the school’s state of the art assembly hall.

“Today we salute you,” said Deputy Principal and the man chosen to fill her head teacher’s shoes, Francis Gray.

“You are the primary reason that ordinary students down through the years have dreamed to do extraordinary things.”

Mr Gray said his outgoing colleague’s hard work, dedication and loyalty to a profession she has dedicated over four decades to provided the backdrop for scores of pupils under her tutelage to “dream big to surpass their wildest dreams”.

The high-reaching beliefs Marett passed down to the hundreds of pupils who filed through the doors of Sacred Heart Primary School were values the woman at the centre of last week’s celebration upheld closely throughout her distinguished career.

Having graduated from Our Lady of Mercy College, Carysfort, Marett’s first teaching post would arrive in September 1981 at Mullahoran NS.

Subsequent propitious spells at Killoe NS and Bunlahy NS would follow before she would settle in Granard and in so doing become the first female principal of a boys school in Co Longford.

In 1999, a decision to amalgamate the school with Granard Convent Girls' School coincided in another piece of history, this time with Marett becoming the first lay principal of an educational facility she has remained front and centre of ever since.

In laying claim to Marett’s involvement in the roll out of Cumann na mBunscol in the mid 1980s, Mr Gray said it was fitting his soon to be predecessor cut the ribbon on a new school extension.

North Longford primary school opens doors to new sensory garden and extension project

It was a red-letter day for the pupils and teachers of Granard's Sacred Heart National School last week as the ribbon was cut on an ultra modern extension and accompanying sensory garden.

“De Valera always said he knew what the people of Ireland wanted in his heart,” he said.

“The same rings true Marett, you knew in your heart what our pupils needed.

“Your vision and foresight are testament to the superb campus we have today.”

Warm compliments of an equally similar ilk were in rich supply from Cliodhna Sheridan, member of the school's board of management and Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council Cllr Turlough McGovern.

Big Heart
“It takes a big heart to help shape little minds and, you Marett, have a big heart and that is why the children love you,” said Ms Sheridan.

“You will always be remembered with gratitude by this community of parents and children.”

They were sentiments Marett, herself, was understandably moved by.

Taking to the stage, she remembered all those who worked alongside her and the umpteen children whose futures she helped nurture.

In particular, she singled out the late Canon Frank Kelly who, she said, offered her the principal's post in the former boy's school all those years ago.

She said the hosting of a special tribute concert by pupils less than 24 hours beforehand allied to last Thursday's occasion would forever be etched in her memory.

“It means a lot to me. I always said I wanted a living wake and boy did I get it,” she said to the hum of unbridled laughter.
Marett told of how she owed an “immense gratitude” to the people of Granard since her arrival in the Boy’s School and more latterly Sacred Heart Primary School.

“People ask me how I feel about retiring and I can honestly say I am happy to retire,” she said.

“The reason I say this is I feel confident and contented that I am leaving behind a wonderful school, staffed by the best board of management, teachers, SNAs, secretary, cleaner and caretaker who have all the same role as I have-that is to make our school a welcoming school where every child is treated equally, a place where children arrive and leave each day feeling secure and happy in the knowledge they are loved and cared for.”

And thanks to the unparalleled diligence of Marett Smith, it's an ethos both she and the school she leaves behind can be rightly proud of.